Arrancar War
by feich
Summary: Takes place above the dome of Las Noches. Ichigo and his friends are struggling against Aizen's arrancar forces. Can they succeed in the fight or will Karakura Town burn? Re-imagination of Arrancar saga, rated T for violence. Slight Ichiruki SLIGHT
1. Rue your Friendship

**The first few paragraphs are basically a recap.**

**- means scene change**

**==means flashback**

**Chapter is roughly 3300 words.  
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**I do not own Bleach. It is owned by Tite Kubo, published by Shonen Jump Magazines and animated by Studio Pierrot.  
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><p>Chapter 1- Rue your friendship<p>

"Kurosaki Ichigo. Use your Getsuga Tenshou. You are at your strongest form, and Getsuga Tenshou is your strongest attack. Use it." Ulquiorra ordered Ichigo, while clashing his weapon to Tensa Zangetsu. "I'll show you, how much stronger I am than you."

Ichigo knocked Ulquiorra into the air with a swing of his sword. "Use Getsuga Tenshou? Don't order me around, I was planning on it!" Black reiatsu gathered around Tensa Zangetsu's blade as it was raised high over Ichigo's head. "Getsuga Tenshou!" The Getsuga shot out and swept over Ulquiorra.

The Getsuga subsided and a plume of ash was remaining. A black wing jutted out of the ash before it flexed, blowing the ash away. "Just as I thought; you're just a human after all."

Ichigo's dark irises widened as the ash dispersed revealing Ulquiorra's unscratched form. "How did you take that without any damage?" Ichigo muttered to himself.

"Your Getsuga resembles my Cero." Ulquiorra commented on Ichigo's attack. The comment however annoyed Ichigo.

"Cero? Don't even compare me to that crap!" Ichigo glared through his masks slits at Ulquiorra.

Ulquiorra frowned, "You have not seen it. Then I will show you the cero only an Espada at its full power can use, the black cero." Ulquiorra raised his finger as black reiatsu gathered at the tip of his finger. It condensed into a small ball, as Ulquiorra's finger was fully erect pointing at Ichigo. "Cero Oscuras!"

The black cero shot out from Ulquiorra's finger as it expanded rapidly. The Cero slammed into Ichigo and quickly smeared his presence with its own. The Cero went on a path of destruction as it annihilated much of Las Noches' dome. In the wake of the Cero, Ichigo was nowhere to be found.

"At least now you will be a full hollow or shinigami." Ulquiorra frowned at how Ichigo was defeated so easily. Then Ulquiorra remembered his orders to take care of Las Noches. Without an afterthought, Ulquiorra went down into Las Noches intending to finish the remaining shinigami and humans.

It wasn't long until Ulquiorra had reached Yammy, who was in his released form fighting two shinigami and a human.

"…_Ichigo…"_

Ichigo's eyes shot wide open. He surveyed his surroundings, tall buildings were all on his sides, when he realized he was in his inner world. He looked around until he saw a slim figure standing in the middle of everything.

Ichigo stared at him, taking in his features. The person was dressed in all black, and was wearing a hood over his head. Not only that, he was also holding Tensa Zangetsu in his right hand.

"Do you know why I called you Ichigo?" asked the person.

Ichigo growled out, "What? Cut the crap only Zangetsu should be here."

"Oh that's right, you have never come here in Bankai state." He pulled down his hood, and revealed his face. He looked like Zangetsu but in his youth, he did not have the trademark sunglasses, nor did he have any facial hair.

"Wait." Ichigo pressed his head against his hand. "You are Zangetsu?"

"Wrong!" He jumped down and grabbed Ichigo's wrist. "What do you call your bankai?" Ichigo's eyes widened, "I am Tensa Zangetsu." Tensa Zangetsu swung his sword upwards.

And Ichigo jumped back, but a drop of blood came down from his chin.

"Oh, Ulquiorra!" Yammy turned his head over his shoulder to look at his comrade. "What happened to that human you were fighting?"

"Dead.", was Ulquiorra's only reply.

Gasps came from below. Renji's eyes were open and his mouth was dropped in disbelief.

'_How can Ichigo lose?'_

Chad's jaw was tight as he clenched his fist. He remembered him and Ichigo going back to back fighting against bullies in their younger days.

Rukia's hands were white from gripping the hilt tightly. Her mind brought up memories of her and Ichigo arguing resulting in Ichigo getting hit.

'…_Ichigo!'_

"Tch, I wanted to kill him after I finished with these worms." Yammy referring his opponents as worms.

"Yammy why have you released your sword; you should not have any trouble against trash this weak." Questioned Ulquiorra, as he felt their reiatsu, they weren't even _taicho_-level reiatsu but at least higher than a _fuku-taicho_. "Sometimes it makes me wonder why Aizen-sama even considered making you an espada."

"What was that Ulquiorra" Yammy was annoyed by Ulquiorra's comments. "Are you forgetting I am the _Cero _Espada?" Yammy pointed to his shoulder where the number zero was tattooed.

"And?"

"That means compared to me you are utter trash, Ulquiorra!" as Yammy pointed his finger at Ulquiorra and glared.

Ulquiorra was not impressed by Yammy's gesture "Rank has little to do with our fighting abilities, it was only meant to show how high our reiatsu was. In fact, Grimmjow's Fracción were more effective than you were." Ulquiorra taunted him by grouping him with deceased Numeros.

Ulquiorra then added, "If it was ranked by fight abilities, then I would be the Cero, and you would remain as Diez."

Yammy snarled, "Really now, why don't you prove that to me, Ulquiorra!"

"You were originally an Adjuchas before you became an Arrancar. I was a Vasto Lorde before I turned into a Arrancar. A hollow from a lower evolution cannot beat a hollow at its peak."

"I have had enough of that talk Ulquiorra, fight!" Yammy raised his fist as he prepared to punch Ulquiorra.

"Such a simpleton." muttered Ulquiorra, as he flexed his wings to charge at Yammy head-first. Ulquiorra stopped as a huge kido washed over Yammy's side.

"What's this? Fighting between comrades?" Zaraki Kenpachi asked as he stepped on a rock with his sword on his shoulder. Kenpachi grinned at the large size of Yammy.

"That hurt damn it!" Yammy howled in irritation.

"This will only prove that shinigami are superior to hollows." commented Byakuya, after seeing the sight of his enemies ready to fight each other. "It appears the large one has the most reiatsu."

"Great, then he's mine!" Kenpachi grinned before dashing forth towards Yammy.

"You kill them; I will not sully my hands with trash such as this." Ulquiorra said before he turned his back to Yammy.

Ulquiorra watched as Yammy was being man-handled by the eleventh squad captain. He would not bother intervening that was until, "Did you kill Ichigo?" He turned his head and stared coldly into Rukia's violet eyes.

"I did, what of it?" came the cold and short reply. He expected the small woman to shout, but he did not expect she would attack him. Ulquiorra dodged the attack by side-stepping, Rukia then sliced at Ulquiorra. The attack was slow by Ulquiorra's standards but would have been enough to land a hit on Syazel or Aaroniero. He jumped back creating some distance between them.

He quickly spun around and caught Chad's right hand before it hit him in the head. Chad's eye glared hard at Ulquiorra, who returned a glare of his own. Chad normally wouldn't attack this rashly, but the news of Ichigo's apparent demise had shaken him. He could only see red as he saw Ulquiorra.

He flexed his left hand before attacking Ulquiorra with a left hook. Ulquiorra moved his head out of the way avoiding Chad's left arm. Ulquiorra looked up, as he saw Renji attacking with his bankai.

Ulquiorra quickly swatted Chad aside with his wing, before catching the giant snake's head with one hand. The impact from Renji's attack had caused the area, Ulquiorra was standing on, suck in itself. Ulquiorra's eyes shifted to behind him as Rukia shot a Sokatsui out.

The blast engulfed Ulquiorra's backside, while it did not do much damage, Renji had gathered reiatsu into his bankai. Ulquiorra turned his head and his eyes widened as a ball of red reiatsu shot out at him point-blank. The explosion kicked up sand, covering Ulquiorra's presence.

"Did we get him?" asked Renji as he landed next to Chad.

Rukia shook her head and answered, "No, I can still feel his reiatsu." True to her words the sand had cleared and Ulquiorra stood there unscratched.

"How can you think you can win against me when I defeated Kurosaki Ichigo at his full power, when together the three of you can't possibly hope to match him." Questioned Ulquiorra, perplexed by why the three of them were fighting with no chance of victory.

The three of them glared at Ulquiorra before Rukia answered, "Because we are his friends and that's what Ichigo would do."

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, "Friendship?" Ulquiorra muttered as a memory came to him.

_He was in a pit, he watched his comrades. They were all snarling and grinning, perhaps in delight at the chance of killing him._

"If friendship has gotten you three this far, then this will be where it ends. I will make the three of you rue your friendship with Kurosaki Ichigo." Ulquiorra formed his weapon before slashing at Renji.

Having little time to react, Renji blocked it, however Ulquiorra's attack left a crack on the segments. Renji scowled as the giant zanpakuto attacked Ulquiorra from behind. Ulquiorra buzzed off with sonido, as the attack harmlessly stopped before hitting Renji.

"El Directo!" Ulquiorra blocked the attack by using his wing as a shield. He lifted his wing, as Rukia appeared in front of him.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!" The ice quickly covered the tip of Ulquiorra's wings and feet. Frowning, Ulquiorra broke the ice and jumped out of the circle.

As he was still in the air, Renji attacked by having Hihio Zabimaru bite down on Ulquiorra's wing. Frowning, Ulquiorra moved his arm to point at the zanpakuto until his arm was binded. Rukia had used a low level bakudo on his arm.

Ulquiorra glared at the petite shinigami. "Trash." Ulquiorra easily broke the kido by slightly raising his reiatsu, and he pried the zanpakuto off of him. Chad jumped up, and attacked Ulquiorra from behind.

Ulquiorra was knocked into the sand, as he formed his weapon.

Ulquiorra threw his weapon at Chad, who blocked it with his right arm. The giant skidded back several meters as he tightened his jaw, straining under the pressure before the weapon dispersed. Chad had managed to block it, but just barely.

Quickly forming another, Ulquiorra he slammed his shoulder into Renji and slashed him across the shoulder. Rukia jumped up and tried to blindside him, but she was knocked back into the air by his wing.

Ulquiorra charged for Chad and broke through his armored arm. The spike pierced into Chad's shoulder. Chad grunted and tried to counter attack. Ulquiorra however did not relent and slashed him across the waist. Ulquiorra then jumped back but he was caught by Chad.

Coughing up some blood, Chad then punched him with his left hand. The attack connected, but Ulquiorra was almost completely unfazed. Save for him sliding through the sand.

"Now for the two of you." Ulquiorra moved to attack, but was stopped when he felt Yammy's reiatsu spike in his direction. A red light slammed into Ulquiorra as he turned in its direction. Yammy had used a cero but did not pay attention to who was in the way. The cero pushed Ulquiorra back as it traveled across Las Noches.

"Looks like this giant idiot hit his own ally! What an idiot!" Kenpachi shouted as he cut Yammy again.

Yammy groaned and grunted as he was slashed again and again. He attempted to grab Kenpachi, but the captain pierced through his hand. Kenpachi ran up across Yammy's arm, and slashed Yammy across the nose.

Yammy went down howling from the pain, his whole body plummeting backwards. "You little worm!"

Yammy pulled his fist back until a sudden and massive increase of reiatsu came in the direction Ulquiorra was hit by the cero. A black cero engulfed Yammy's cero and went above the dome of Las Noches, and Ulquiorra stood there in a new form.

"The hell is that form, Ulquiorra?"

"Ressureccion, Segunda Etapa. I am the only arrancar that can go beyond the first release." Ulquiorra flexed his wings to their full extent.

Kenpachi grinned before turning back to Byakuya. "Oi, Kuch-" He was stopped when he realized Byakuya was going after Ulquiorra. "Damn it, all get back here!" Kenpachi stuttered as he wanted to go against Ulquiorra instead of Yammy. He was stopped from going after Byakuya when Yammy slammed his fist onto the ground in front of him.

"You little worm!"

Kenpachi was annoyed by how stubborn this guy was, yet he was so weak "Tch, what a pain in the ass."

"Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

"Nii-sama!"

"Taicho!"

Byakuya charged at Ulquiorra, while the one million strong petals quickly engulfed Ulquiorra's vision. Mimicking Byakuya's charge, Ulquiorra sped straight toward the captain.

The cherry blossoms quickly shielded Byakuya as many more went out to encircle Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra attacked the shield of petals while he got engulfed by the petals.

Byakuya shunpo'd a few meters away from Ulquiorra.

Byakuya glanced at the collection of sakura petals. Then he turned his back to where Ulquiorra was, "Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, Go-"

A black cero broke through the attack, leaving Byakuya surprised and shocked at how he broke through so easily. "A good attack. I was surprised I could not break through. However, it cannot defeat me."

At that same moment, Yammy rose up after getting cut down, "You stinkin worm!" He shouted the same line several times before his muscles begin to bulge and undergo a new transformation.

Yammy now only had two legs rather then the many he had prior. Everything under his waist was covered in a brown fur. "My ressureccion is Ira. I am a beast of anger, you will suffer a pitiful death shinigami! Make me angry, anger me more! It will just make you more humiliating!"

"Tch, at least you got stronger." Kenpachi was annoyed as he jumped up and attacked him. At least now, he hoped Yammy could fight decently.

Ichigo grunted as he got forced back by Tensa Zangetsu.

"Old man err I guess you aren't an old man now… Why are you doing this?"

Tensa Zangetsu sighed before replying "Show me your Getsuga Ichigo."

Ichigo had a confused look on his face and he scowled. "What? My Getsuga?"

"Yes. Attack me with your Getsuga Tenshou."

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Ichigo raised his sword above his head and gathered his reiatsu forming a massive whirlwind of reiatsu. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

The attack charged into Tensa Zangetsu who raised his sword to Ichigo's direction. Ichigo watched as his attack charged into Tensa Zangetsu. His eyes widened as he saw something break through his attack and head straight for him.

Ichigo barely dodged it by jumping upwards. He looked over to his Getsuga and saw that it was cracked before it shattered.

"Wh-what the hell was that?"

"You will learn of it soon enough." Before Tensa Zangetsu attacked Ichigo.

Elsewhere, Byakuya skidded back. He was in terrible condition, similar to how Rukia and Renji were.

Rukia was the least injured compared to himself and Renji. Rukia was thrown around by Ulquiorra, either by being grabbed and chucked or by getting hit by his tail. However her petite body would probably not last long under that sort of treatment.

Renji's bankai was cracked in several segments. Renji would not last long, as he had a hole through his abdomen, it was painfully obvious that Renji had broken several ribs and his left arm was fractured in several places. He had also gone through the same treatment Rukia had gone through, only he was dragged across the ground.

Byakuya had a large gash through his shoulder, and several smaller cuts were on his wrists and ankles. His scarf had been discarded while avoiding Ulquiorra's cero. His kenseikan were all cracked from being slammed into the ground several times.

"Time to finish this." Ulquiorra said as he pointed his finger at the three of them. Ulquiorra did not fire his cero because Ishida appeared directly above Ulquiorra with his bow activated.

"Licht Regen!" Ishida shouted as he let loose all one thousand two hundred arrows on Ulquiorra. "Attack him, Kuchiki-san!"

Immediately, Byakuya attacked Ulquiorra while directing his attacks. The petals scattered the cloud of sand and concentrated on Ulquiorra.

"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" The snow and ice slammed into Ulquiorra leaving him as a frozen block of ice. Ishida landed down next to Renji.

"Thanks for the save Ishida!" Renji croaked out while breathing hard.

Ishida took in their condition, "Sorry I'm late. I had to take Inoue-san to Kurosaki."

Rukia's eyes widened in realization. "Y-you mean, Ichigo survived?" Ishida nodded. "How is he?"

"He had very little reiatsu left. It was a surprise he could still maintain his bankai." Ishida looked away before answering. "He was in bad condition. If I was late he would of died."

The casing of ice cracked and shattered as Ulquiorra stood there unscratched wiping off some ice from his shoulder. Ulquiorra took a step forward and pounced in front of Byakuya, and tried to grab his neck. Byakuya's sakuras blocked the attack, and tried to surround him.

Ulquiorra jumped into the air, before Byakuya could completely surround him. Ishida and Renji appeared next to him and were attacking him in unison. Ulquiorra fended off both attacks with his wings.

"Bakudo 61, Rikujokoro" Ulquiorra was bounded as he felt the six rods dig and burn into his flesh.

"Sokatsui/Soren Sokatsui!" Byakuya and Rukia fired their kido off at the same time, engulfing Ulquiorra in a blue light.

The attack cleared and Ulquiorra came out only slightly singed by the attack. "Your efforts of defeating me is futile."

"Tsugi no ma-"

"I told you, it was useless!"

Rukia was interrupted from firing her attack as Ulquiorra's tail smashed into her side sending her sliding across the sand.

Byakuya charged at Ulquiorra from behind, only to get knocked aside by his tail. Ishida charged up wielding Seele Schieder, Ulquiorra grabbed Ishida's wrist before any contact could happen.

"Shi-!" Ishida could only curse before Ulquiorra tightened his grip and broke Ishida's wrist. Ishida howled out in pain before he was tossed aside.

"Bastard!" Renji attacked by charging his attack point-blank to Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra simply fired off his cero diverting the attack. Ulquiorra followed up by pouncing in front of Renji and face planted him into the ground.

"Shukei Hakuteiken!" Ulquiorra turned around and Byakuya had cut Ulquiorra's arm off by the shoulder. Then he tried to cut Ulquiorra across the waist, but he was pushed aside by Ulquiorra's free arm. As Byakuya was sent into the air, Ulquiorra brought his tail down on his chest.

Ulquiorra then turned around and caught a white sword just inches from his face. Rukia bit her lip. "Sokatsui!" She aimed the attack for Ulquiorra's head, however the attack had no effect. Ulquiorra then used his wing and knocked her into the ground.

"Your efforts are valiant but all for nothing, shinigami." Ulquiorra charged up his cero and was ready to finish off Rukia until Yammy blindsided Ulquiorra with the back of his hand.

"Yo, Ulquiorra, why don't you die!"

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><p><strong>AN Alright this is a fanfiction that I was wanting to write in a while. Unlike the past two fanfictions that I made, if any of you still remember 'Bleach the Betrayal' and 'Bonds'. This one is planned out, as I have more then 10 chapters mapped out. I also realize that this fight is a little too extensive to be in the first chapter, but what can I say? There ain't very many options as to make conversations during the Ichigo vs Ulquiorra chapters. I'll decide if I should add Ichiruki scenes as I write the next two chapters.  
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**Constructive criticism and reviews are appreciated.**


	2. Friends? Comrades?

**Chapter 2- Friends? Comrades?**

"Out of the way, Ulquiorra. I'm squishing these worms!" Yammy laughed after he had knocked Ulquiorra aside with the back of his hand. He stopped before grinning widely, "And when I'm done, I will rip you apart!"

Yammy lowered his hand down to Rukia's prone body, about to snatch her in his hand. Renji seeing this action, growled and slammed his bankai into Yammy's cheek.

"Huh? What was that? That itches." Yammy grabbed Zabimaru into his grips and started to crush the segments. Renji cursed and allowed the remaining segments to fall apart. Yammy raised his non-existent eyebrow at the action.

"Higa Zekko!" The cracked segments raised upwards surrounding Yammy before plunging into him, smashing against his skin. After exerting his reiatsu in that attack, Renji dropped to his knee from exhaustion.

'_Shit, it didn't work!'_

"The hell was that? That barely tickled!" Yammy yelled out as he moved his arm above his head before bringing it down on Renji. His action was stopped when his arm stopped moving and he felt something dig into his elbow.

The sensation in his elbow stopped the moment he tried to investigate it, then he felt someone had landed on his opposite shoulder. "Fool." Yammy turned his head towards the voice just in time to meet a cero to the face. "Betraying me now is futile." Ulquiorra charged into the dust blown up by his cero and slammed his palm against Yammy's hollow bone. Yammy toppled over from the attack, his hollow bone cracking from the attack.

"T-the hell?" He swung his arm in the direction Ulquiorra was, but it was caught. The dust cleared and Ulquiorra was holding it up with his regenerated arm.

From below Ishida was shocked at how Ulquiorra has acquired a new arm. He saw it for sure when Byakuya had cut it off, but how had he regained his arm? Ishida looked down at Ulquiorra's severed arm.

Yammy narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth. "DIE!" He charged up his own Cero Oscuras in his mouth.

Ulquiorra sighed. Yammy fired his cero and Ulquiorra sonido'd out of its way. He landed on a pillar below Yammy. Ulquiorra pointed at Yammy and charged his cero. Yammy did the same and the two black ceros clashed against each other.

Ulquiorra quickly overpowered Yammy and his cero engulfed Yammy's head. The Cero exploded and blew off part of Las Noches above him. Yammy moved his head out of the explosion and went down onto his elbow. The Cero had left burnt his entire face; his nose was charred and his cheeks very red.

"Have I proved to you why I am stronger then you?" Ulquiorra appeared in front of Yammy's forehead and stared at him devoid of emotion.

Yammy locked up and yelled out in complete anger. "Screw you Ulquiorra!" He rashly tried to bite down on Ulquiorra.

"Trash." Ulquiorra stopped him by backhanding Yammy's large nose. Yammy fell over to the side and growled. He swung his massive tail and tried to catch Ulquiorra unguarded from the behind. "As I said, I am much stronger then you."

Yammy grinned as he slowly raised himself back up. His grin lasted until Ulquiorra blocked Yammy's massive tail with his own slim tail. Seeing as this approach not working, Yammy snatched Ulquiorra's body in his hand and began to tighten his grip. "See how you like this, Ulquiorra!" He opened his mouth and fired a Cero at Ulquiorra who was tightly locked in his grip.

Yammy laughed despite the pain in his hand from being scorched by his own Cero. He laughed even louder when he began thinking of ways to finish off the intruders. He kept laughing until he felt his hand being bent to awkward proportions. "Th-the hell?"

"Do you think a Cero is enough to beat me?" A muffled voice came from his hand. Yammy tried to squish Ulquiorra by using his other arm, but Ulquiorra ripped his left hand apart.

Yammy's eyes widened in shock and his mouth dropped. Ulquiorra pressed his hands together and a lance of green reiatsu formed as he pulled them apart. "Lanza del Relampago." Ulquiorra charged down and slashed Yammy across the forehead down to his mouth, leaving a long vertical cut. Yammy howled out in pain.

"Unforgivable! I will kill you Ulquiorra!"

He disappeared again and stabbed Yammy through the chest. "Die and disappear, Yammy." His lance shattered leaving a deep hole in Yammy's chest. Ulquiorra did not give Yammy any time to react as he fired his cero repeatedly into Yammy until his cero went through Yammy completely. Yammy fell down with his eyes open and his mouth agape.

Ulquiorra jumped back and formed another. Ulquiorra threw it like a javelin and it struck Yammy. The projectile detonated and engulfed Yammy in a massive green tower of energy. Yammy howled out in pain as he was eradicated by Ulquiorra's attack.

Ulquiorra looked down at his scattered opponents. Of his five opponents, only two of them were still conscious. Ishida had only recently joined the battle and only his wrist was broken. Byakuya being a captain was strong enough to deal with injuries such as these. Ulquiorra dropped down next to Byakuya and grabbed him by the back of his neck. Before Byakuya could struggle out of it, he was thrown next to Rukia who had still yet to move an inch from the battle. Ulquiorra did the same thing with Ishida and the rest.

"I will finish the five of you here and now without doing much more damage to Las Noches." He charged up a cero in his finger and fired. Byakuya had his sakura petals block the attack, but with his injuries and near depleted reiatsu, he could not hold the Cero back for long. He bit his lower lip as the Cero broke free. _'Forgive me, Hisana!'_ Byakuya thought in his head as the Cero sped in their direction.

"Getsuga Tensho!" A massive lunar fang crashed into the Cero and diverted its direction.

"Yo, long time no see, Ulquiorra!" Ichigo shouted at Ulquiorra, while carrying Orihime on top of his shoulder as he did prior after the fight with Grimmjow.

Ichigo's bankai overcoat had yet to return to its full size. It covered his right arm and his torso but ends at his left collarbone. Tensa Zangetsu's chain that was broken off in the end was much longer then before. If it was stretched out, it would measure one and a half meters in length.

Ichigo landed on the sand and put Orihime down. "Inoue, go heal them." He quickly ordered Orihime, and turned over to Ishida. "Can you stand, Ishida?"

Ishida smirked. "Of course I can Kurosaki." Ichigo nodded and turned away. "Make sure you stay alive, Kurosaki, or we won't be rivals anymore!"

"Yeah." He looked over at Byakuya and he softly told him, "Take care of Rukia for me." The Kuchiki leader only nodded his head in silence.

Ulquiorra who was standing there calmly observed as Ichigo talked to his friends. "Do you think your timely intervention would save their lives, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Ichigo looked over at Ulquiorra and turned to face him. "Or have you forgotten that you failed to beat me in a prior form and now you think you can win against me at my full strength?"

"Ulquiorra, you talk too much. Of course I probably can't beat you. But I have to beat you because I have to for my friends and for my home."

"For your friends? For your home?" Ulquiorra muttered to himself, before a flashback came to him.

_Walking. _

_Walking. _

_Walking. _

_Walking. _

_Walking._

_Blood dripped from his white claws, as he wandered around the sand dunes._

"Let's go Ulquiorra!" Snapping Ulquiorra out of his stupor.

Ichigo sped up to Ulquiorra with newfound speed and brought a downward slash on Ulquiorra. The Espada parried the strike, and thrusts his lance at Ichigo. Ichigo leaned to the side as the lance harmlessly passed through air. Ichigo jumped back a few times to get some distance between him and Ulquiorra.

Ulquiorra pounced at Ichigo and attacked. Ichigo blocked the attack and counterattacked by stabbing at Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra leaned back and avoided the attack. He retaliated by whipping him across the side with his tail.

Ichigo grunted and released a Getsuga at Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra jumped to the side completely avoiding the attack. Ichigo followed up by trying to slash Ulquiorra across the waist.

Ulquiorra quickly blocked the attack and pulled his free arm back. Ichigo dodged Ulquiorra's jab and kicked his opponent in the abdomen. Ulquiorra slid backwards and growled in irritation.

Ichigo vanished out of his sight before reappearing behind Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra quickly turned around and knocked off Ichigo's swipe at his head. Ulquiorra swung his tail at Ichigo's head, and Ichigo ducked down.

Ichigo slashed at Ulquiorra, who parried the attack and tried to jab Ichigo again. Ichigo moved to the side, and moved to the left when Ulquiorra jabbed at him again. Ulquiorra began attacking Ichigo with the same jabs. Ulquiorra swung his tail at Ichigo's ankles.

The Substitute Shinigami saw the attack coming and dodged by jumping. Ulquiorra stabbed at Ichigo again, this time Ichigo knocked the attack aside and slashed Ulquiorra.

The Espada jumped back managing to avoid the majority of his attack. Ichigo's sword had managed to leave a blood cut across his abdomen.

"I see you have improved, Kurosaki Ichigo." Ulquiorra narrowed his green-emerald eyes at Ichigo. "But, have you improved so much that you can withstand this?" Ulquiorra pointed his slender arm at Ichigo with his finger extended. Black reiatsu gathered at the center of his finger, before condensing into a small orb. "Cero Oscuras!"

Ichigo stood there unwavering as the streak of black reiatsu struck out towards him. He pulled back his arm as he released more reiatsu. The reiatsu began to swirl around his arm before covering his entire blade. Ichigo thrusted his attack out and shouted "Getsuga Shugeki!"

The reiatsu that was covering his blade shot out like a beam and pierced into the Cero. The attack tore through Ulquiorra's cero and pierced through Ulquiorra's entire arm.

Ulquiorra huffed as blood flowed down from the wound. "What was that attack just now?" Ulquiorra questioned while glaring at Ichigo.

"That was a new attack that Tensa Zangetsu finally taught me" Ichigo raised his sword to eye level and glanced at the blade before back to Ulquiorra. "Getsuga Shugeki, it is a variant of Getsuga Tensho. The thing with this attack is that it is a concentrated blast."

Ichigo commented on his adversary's' wound. "That wound on you is enough; with a missing arm you can't possible win anymore."

Ulquiorra's face quickly changed and he gazed at Ichigo with little emotion aside from annoyance and irritation. "Do you think you won just because I am missing an arm?" He shifted his eyes over to his arm and it quickly regenerated. Ichigo's eyes widened, Ulquiorra as if reading his mind told him. "I can regenerate myself by using my massive reiatsu reserves; as I am the only one that did not trade regenerative powers for brute strength." Ulquiorra looked up from his arm "Kurosaki Ichigo, you cannot win if you just stand there squawking."

Ulquiorra buzzed out of Ichigo's sight before reappearing and began attacking vigorously. Ichigo backed up with each swing dodging or ducking the attacks. Ichigo swung his sword out at Ulquiorra causing him to jump back for a moment.

Ichigo pushed on and clashed weapons with Ulquiorra. The clashing of the two weapons caused the ground behind Ulquiorra to get blasted into the air. Ulquiorra pointed at Ichigo and fired a Cero.

Ichigo quickly moved to the side avoiding the Cero but part of his shikakusho was burnt off leaving a singed patch of skin on him. Ichigo swung Tensa Zangetsu at Ulquiorra without bothering to check on his injury.

Ulquiorra jumped upwards and knocked Ichigo aside with his wing. Ichigo twisted his body and landed on his feet.

Ulquiorra flexed his wings and charged at Ichigo, trying to pierce Ichigo. Ichigo swiped at the thrust and he swept his sword at Ulquiorra's neckline. Ulquiorra twisted his body to the side, but he wasn't fast enough. Tensa Zangetsu severed Ulquiorra's arm at the elbow. Ulquiorra's tail swung out and clubbed Ichigo across the ribs.

Ichigo skidded to the side from the blow; he knew that Ulquiorra had broken a few of his ribs. A little blood trickled out of his mouth, before Ichigo wiped at it with the back of his hand.

Ichigo charged up not wanting to let Ulquiorra regenerate from his wound, stabbed at Ulquiorra. The arrancar swatted the blade aside using his wing and attacked with his lance, trying to run him through the neck. Ichigo side-stepped the attack and followed up by slashing at Ulquiorra's backside.

Ulquiorra used sonido to get away. He reappeared away from Ichigo. Just as he landed down, his wing fell off with a spurt of blood. Ulquiorra glanced at his fallen wing and glared at Ichigo venomously.

Ichigo was about to press forth had it not been for Ulquiorra firing a Cero at him. Ichigo used shunpo to avoid the massive Cero. He looked up and tried to fire off a Getsuga but the only thing he could see was Ulquiorra's head about to make contact with Ichigo's jaw.

Ulquiorra attacked Ichigo, the blow connected and Ichigo was knocked back like a ragdoll. Ichigo roughly landed in the sand and bounced before he regained control and landed on his knees.

Ichigo quickly got up to his feet and spat out some blood. He eyed Ulquiorra, who had already regenerated his limbs. "If you are going to keep regenerating, then this is going to be a problem." Ichigo wiped a trickle of blood coming down his forehead.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed as he focused on Ulquiorra, scowling. He raised Tensa Zangetsu up, shoulder level tensing for an attack.

* * *

><p>Rukia's violet eyes fluttered open. She opened her mouth to speak but she found no voice. It took a minute before she was able to speak, "What is happening?"<p>

Byakuya turned to her, "Kurosaki Ichigo and the arrancar are fighting." At the mention of Ichigo's name, Rukia quickly tried to sit up before having to lie back down from the pain. She grasped her side to try stemming the pain.

"Please don't be so active, Kuchiki-san." Rukia turned her head to the side and saw Orihime giving her a slight smile.

"Right. How is Ichigo doing?" Rukia asked to no one in particular as she could not get a view of the two fighters.

"Poorly. The arrancar has regenerative powers and is on par with the boy." Byakuya answered for her. "However, each time the arrancar regenerates his reiatsu slightly plummets."

"I thought Ichigo was defeated by him an hour ago? How could he be fighting on par now?" Rukia continued to question.

"Do not ask anymore. I do not know the answers."

* * *

><p>Ichigo crashed violently into the sand. He sat up and leapt to the side avoiding Ulquiorra's attack. He used shunpo to get a fair distance away from the two of them. He wiped off a stream of blood with his sleeve while running.<p>

'_Damn it, every time I get him wounded he regenerates it like nothing!' _Truth be told, Ichigo had the upper hand in the fighting, but Ulquiorra's regeneration wore him down.

Noticing a shadow under him, Ichigo turned around quickly and blocked Ulquiorra. The arrancar used his strength and pushed Ichigo back. Ichigo quickly did a flip and planted himself on his feet. He looked up and parried Ulquiorra. Ichigo stabbed at Ulquiorra and managed to go cleanly through his right shoulder. Ulquiorra kicked Ichigo in the abdomen before yanking Tensa Zangetsu out.

Ichigo slid on his feet for a few meters before charging back at Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra leaned back, dodging Ichigo's attack. Ichigo spun around and slashed Ulquiorra across the back.

'_How strong is his hierro?'_

The attack had left a flesh wound on Ulquiorra. It was only deep enough to cause blood trickle down.

Ulquiorra's tail wrapped around Ichigo's ankle, and Ulquiorra yanked Ichigo into the air. Ichigo sailed into the air before he regained control and stopped himself. He sped back into Ulquiorra and slashed downwards. Ulquiorra sidestepped the attack, then he began attacking with quick stabs.

Ichigo concentrated his focus on the attacks, but he didn't notice Ulquiorra's tail slamming into his ribs where he was hit earlier. The attack sent Ichigo plummeting into the sand, creating a small crater.

Ichigo sat up and grasped his side while panting for breath. The attack just now had knocked the breath out of him. Ichigo dashed to the right and tumbled to avoid Ulquiorra smashing down on where he was before. His eyes widened as he saw Ulquiorra's tail go out the sand and hit him across the cheek.

Ichigo rebounded himself to his feet and swung his sword upwards. The attack connected with Ulquiorra and cut his tail off. "Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo fired it in the direction where the sand was blowing heavily. He shifted his eyes to the left and saw Ulquiorra going for a decapitation maneuver. Ichigo ducked and slashed at Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra took the hit and had a long diagonal cut but nowhere deep enough to be serious.

Ichigo pressed on and continued slashing Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra blocked and dodged, while a few strokes managed to get past his defense, the intruder didn't have enough strength to go deep enough into his body. Ulquiorra stopped Ichigo from attacking by grabbing his sword-arm by the forearm. Ulquiorra folded his wing and stretched it back out.

Ichigo was hit across the chest by the attack and was knocked into the ground. He jumped up into the air, while holding his chest from the pain. Ulquiorra pursued him and slammed Ichigo with his palm at the back of his neck.

Ichigo crashed into the sand with a boom. He coughed violently as he sat up.

'_How the hell is he getting even faster? It's as if he was holding back the whole entire time I fought until recently!'_

Ulquiorra landed in front of Ichigo, interrupting his thoughts. "You have not brought out your mask." Ulquiorra gazed into Ichigo's amber eyes. "Do you think you could win without using your hollow powers?"

"Shut up, I don't need to be told by you on what I should do!" Ichigo snarled at him. Ichigo quickly attacked Ulquiorra by unleashing a quick Getsuga Tensho. Ulquiorra blocked the attack with his lance while kneeling. The Getsuga sent him skidding through the sand before Ulquiorra knocked it to the side. Ichigo charged in with Tensa Zangetsu empowered by his Getsuga. Ulquiorra quickly put a light defense. His eyes widened as Ichigo caused Ulquiorra's weapon to crack. Quickly thinking, Ulquiorra punched Ichigo with his left arm.

Ichigo crashed into the sand spitting out some blood. Ulquiorra charged in and brought down his lance on Ichigo. The shinigami brought his sword up and stopped the attack. Ulquiorra used his strength to push on Ichigo's sword, forcing him against the ground. His eyes narrowed as Ichigo fired Getsuga up close. The blast from the Getsuga engulfed the two as the continued to clash swords.

* * *

><p>Having been healed to the point where she could sit up, Rukia watched the battle. Along with her, Chad had recovered to the point where he could open his eyes and watch but not speak. Renji was still laying there unconscious, probably from reiatsu overuse. Orihime could heal better then most, probably even better then Unohana herself. But replenishing reiatsu was a much different story.<p>

Orihime felt someone tap her shoulder, when she turned she saw the 4th division fuku-taichou Isane Kotetsu and Unohana Retsu behind her. "Umm…"

"You've done enough for now Inoue-san. Please allow us to do the rest." Isane said while bowing.

"Bu-bu-"

She didn't finish her as Unohana smiled _warmly_ at her. "Please let us do the rest."

Orihime worked up a sweat and felt as if she had been dropped into glacier or left to freeze in Antarctica in the winter. "Ri-right." She stuttered as she allowed her Souten Kisshun dissipate and return to their dormant forms.

"Isane, please

Isane went to heal Byakuya's remaining wounds while Unohana began to replenish the rests' reiryoku levels.

Just then the explosion from the Getsuga erupted and blew sand into their direction. Byakuya narrowed his eyes as he watched Ichigo and Ulquiorra continue clashing in the torrent of black reiatsu. Chad frowned in concern for his friend, as he raised himself onto one arm.

"That boy will not last long if he does not bring out his hollow powers."

Ishida stood there shielding himself with his arms from the sand. "…Kurosaki!"

Rukia raised her hand to her heart in concern for her friend. "…Ichigo…"

* * *

><p>Ichigo jumped back sliding on feet. He had come out worst than Ulquiorra did in that skirmish; mostly because of his regeneration and tough hierro. Ichigo had managed to lop off Ulquiorra's left wrist but it was quickly regenerated.<p>

"Getsuga Shugeki!" He fired it quickly and Ulquiorra received the hit through his right thigh. Ulquiorra made a face at the pain, before he blocked an attack from Ichigo. Ulquiorra shifted his lance and forced Ichigo flying back. Quickly regenerating his thigh, he fired a Cero in Ichigo's direction. Ichigo reacted quickly by firing a Getsuga to buy him some time and using shunpo to get away.

Just as his feet touched down on the sand, Ulquiorra was attacking with jabs and quick swipes. Ichigo slashed at Ulquiorra, interrupting the attack sequence, but Ulquiorra rushed back in and stabbed at Ichigo's head. Ichigo dodged most of the attack, but his cheek was cut from the lance.

"Tch!" Ichigo slashed at Ulquiorra's waist. Ulquiorra jumped back and was inflicted a small wound that hardly broke through the first layer of his skin. Ichigo panted as he wiped his forehead for sweat and any blood flowing down. His body was starting to ache from exhaustion and a culmination of cuts from Ulquiorra.

"What are you trying to accomplish in doing without your hollow powers?" Ulquiorra questioned him after observing his tiring state. "If you intend to hold back so that you may reserve some strength for the next battle should you defeat me, you will die."

Ichigo glared at Ulquiorra and scowled. "Looks like I will have to use it. I wanted to hold back so that I can fight Aizen at full power." He acknowledged Ulquiorra's statement. "Then I will show you my full power."

Ichigo raised his hand over his face and gathered his reiatsu forming the outline of his mask. He called forth his mask, and his spirit pressure sky rocketed to the point where Ulquiorra nearly fell on one knee.

The mask instead of having ten red stripes that goes through the left side of his mask, two thick vertical stripes was stretched across the eye-holes. "Ulquiorra. I'll end this quickly!"

Ichigo dashed forth and swung down on Ulquiorra. To Ulquiorra, Ichigo moved so fast that he was only a blur. He frowned and blocked the strike before leaping back. Tensa Zangetsu's blade crashed into the sand and blew sand into the air. Ulquiorra hissed through his teeth as a vertical wound opened up from his shoulder to waist. He backpedaled before righting position and attacking. Ichigo blocked it and struck out at Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra sacrificed his wing to avoid being hit.

Ichigo pressed on and pressured Ulquiorra with fast strikes to the side, and strong overhead swings. From the attacks Ulquiorra took a back step from each swing. Ulquiorra lashed out with his tail, and to his shock, Ichigo grabbed the length of his tail. "It's over, Ulquiorra!"

Quickly thinking, Ulquiorra threw his lance at Ichigo. Ichigo dodged to the side, until he realized the attack was heading towards his friends.

"Shit!"

Ichigo took off in pursuit of the projectile. The espada quickly healed his injuries before taking off after Ichigo with another lance formed in seconds.

Ichigo took a glance back and cursed inwardly before speeding faster. Ichigo made it as the lance was only meters away from everyone. He grabbed the projectile with his left hand. He quickly spun around to face Ulquiorra's direction. Then he felt a searing pain go through his gut, as his friends call out his name.

"Ichigo!" He heard Rukia, Renji, and Chad yelled out.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

"Kurosaki!"

"Kurosaki-san!" The two members of the fourth division cried out.

"Kurosaki Ichigo!" Byakuya cried out. He would have been surprised at this if he wasn't in a fierce battle right now.

He looked down, and saw Ulquiorra standing there with his weapon rammed through Ichigo's abdomen. Ulquiorra's dark eyes stared coldly into Ichigo's own shocked dark eyes.

"You are finished, Kurosaki Ichigo." Ichigo spat out blood, a drop of blood smeared onto Ulquiorra's cheek.

"B-bastard!" Ulquiorra would of scoffed if he wasn't pierced through as well. Ichigo's blade was running through Ulquiorra just under his hollow hole. Blood dripped from the tip of Tensa Zangetsu.

Ulquiorra grimaced as he slowly lifted his finger to point at Ichigo straight in the face. Whatever reiatsu he could muster despite the wound, he gathered into his finger. At the same time, black reiatsu with a red outline was converging into Ichigo's arm. Ichigo's mask cracked and the lower half fell off.

"You are going to fire a Getsuga into my gut as I fire a Cero at you? A bold decision." Ulquiorra commented on Ichigo's actions.

Ichigo scoffed and muttered out in response. "Really? Didn't think you would say that!" Ichigo gasped for breath as he spoke.

Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed as blood started to flow out of his mouth for the first time. "I applaud you for not taking mercy as you are now. It is very hollow-like."

Ichigo scowled. He was about to retort but their reiatsu had finished gathering.

"Getsuga Shugeki!" "Cero Oscuras!" Black reiatsu blew in opposite directions.

"Bakudo 81, Danku!" Byakuya quickly called out as the Cero raced towards them.

"Santen Kesshun!" Orihime's triangular shield sprung forth in front of Danku.

"Bakudo 73, Tozansho!" Rukia and Isane both called out at the same time. The inverted pyramid enclosed the group from the barriers outside as a third layer of defense.

The Cero washed over the barriers as it impacted Santen Kesshun, and engulfed everything in darkness. Santen Kesshun cracked and shattered apart as the pressure came too much. Then Danku held the Cero off until it too cracked and was destroyed. The Cero reached the light blue inverted pyramid and shook the very foundation of it.

Miraculously the group was unharmed as the third bakudo shattered apart when the Cero died down.

Their eyes widened as they watch Ichigo and Ulquiorra lean on each other, should to shoulder ready to give way. They both fell to their knees at the same time.

Ichigo was holding his hand to his abdomen, trying to staunch the blood flow. His shihakusho was completely blown off by the Cero. Shoulder up his skin was charred, cuts and bruises marked everywhere else. Ulquiorra's hollow hole that once stretched across his chest, was almost covered by a larger hole created from Ichigo's attack. Blood flowed freely through his wound.

The two of fighters, slid off of each other, about to fall down face first. Ichigo was falling faster then Ulquiorra was.

Ichigo closed his eyes as he readied himself to meet the coarse sand. Until he heard someone, call his name.

It was Rukia's voice, "Ichigo!"

Ichigo's eyes snapped open. With his willpower he stopped himself from falling by landing on his forearm. He heard a plop as Ulquiorra finally fell.

"How?" He heard the espada mutter out. Ichigo turned over and gazed into Ulquiorra's eyes.

"Because… My friends… I have to win for them!" Ichigo said as he slowly raised himself onto feet.

"Friends?" Ulquiorra slowly questioned as his eyes closed. "Just as I finally acknowledge you lot, I die."

Ichigo looked over at Ulquiorra's fallen body sadly.

_Friends…_

**Alright, the battle was suppose to be longer, but I could not muster any imagination besides a prolonged hack and slash fight. If I did make it longer, I'd have to give Ichigo and Ulquiorra plenty more attacks.**

**I couldn't capture the emotion that was built up during Ulquiorra's death in the manga, so a flashback is going to take place. The flashback is taken from **_**Bleach Databook 3 Unmasked.**_

**Getsuga Shugeki means Storming Getsuga. Basically a variant of Getsuga, that you thrust out instead of slashing.**

**There will be two chapters next. **

**One of them will be Chapter 2.1-Ulquiorra's past**

**Then Chapter 3- Aizen's provocation!**


	3. Ulquiorra's past

**I'm calling it right now. Eventually Tite Kubo is going to revive a bunch of major villians and have them unite with the Gotei 13 to fight the Spirit King. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up making a whole color page of Aizen, Gin, Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, Ichigo, Gotei 13, the Substitute Group, Isshin, Urahara and friends storming the Royal Realm. Actually, that gives me an idea.**

**Credits to BleachAsylum for translations**

**Chapter 2.1- Ulquiorra's past**

* * *

><p>Not be, but be.<p>

_It was dark. There was nothing. I could see nothing. What is there, over there?_

His emerald eyes snapped open. He could not move, not a muscle, not even a blink. He looked down at his body; it was as if he was captured and tied up.

_There is nothing. I was born in the bottom of a dark pit where no light shone. As if pressed together by the darkness, uncertain of what to become; born under those dark, dark sediments._

His lone pale figure knelt at the base of a dark mountain. He raised his hand, and stared at it. It was pure white only his wings were of different color; black. His body was contrasting everything and everyone around him.

_I had a white form. My comrades all had a pitch black body. In those black forms, they were most certainly eating something. Their eyes were shining in glee as they ate, their teeth glistened by the blood they were consuming. Then…_

He stood; his pure form was almost illuminated by the contrasting colors. His eyes watched warily at his comrades. They were gazing back at him. Their grins showed their yellow teeth covered in blood. They pointed at him and snarled.

_There was nothing to me but my eyes._

The pure figure narrowed his eyes in pity and sadness.

_I killed them. And I climbed out of that place. It was a mockery , that I was born in an insufferable place._

The hollow wandered around. All he could see was sand, sand and more sand. Blood dripped down from his hands.

_I felt nothing. No rather, it was possible that what I felt was 'void', yet I could hear nothing, I could bite nothing, I could smell nothing, I could feel nothing as I touch, I could not rest. And I had no companion._

He continued, walking slowly. Not going on any particular trail, just going wherever his instincts told him to go.

_Just walking alone. The things reflected in my eyes have no meaning, the things that could not be reflected in my eyes; do not exist_

_Walking  
>Walking<br>Walking  
>Walking<br>Walking  
>Walking<br>Walking  
>Walking<em>

_When I had arrived at that thought, I found something extraordinary._

He had arrived to a sort of scenery uncommon in the dunes of Hueco Mundo. It was probably the only kind of scenery there is. It was a collection. A collection of what seems to be the quartz trees that was scattered around. He walked closer and closer until he could feel it, prickling into his skin.

_It was, somewhat, the place of birth for those strange, translucent objects that dotted this world. It was the first time my eyes have been captured._

_With no color, with no sound, with no scent, does not interact with anything, it only exists there._

It was the closest existence to "void" that I had ever laid eyes on.

He reached in with his left arm. Ignoring the stabbing sensations that he felt. He pressed in until his whole shoulder was engulfed, then his entire body.

_I sank my body into that great 'void'. There was nothing there, even I had lost my line of vision, and dissolved into the void, and felt as if everything had disappeared._

The jagged thorns, poked at his mask. The hollow ignored the feeling and kept pushing on. The mask cracked, and was torn off by the thorn; revealing a pale skin and a mane of black unkempt hair.

_Happiness. And so, Ulquiorra Cifer the Cautro Espada is born._

_If such a thing called happiness exists in this world, it should be something which resembles the limitless nothingness.  
>Nihility is having nothing, and having nothing to lose. If that isn't "happiness", then what is? The things reflected in my eyes have no meaning, the things that could not be reflected in my eyes, do not exist.<em>

_There is nothing. In you. And me._

* * *

><p><strong>If any of you have read the whole thing in the Unmasked Databook, I tell you that there is a part missing. It is going to be included in Chapter 3.<strong>


	4. Heated Emotions

**I'm going to make Aizen into a really big ass.**

**The filler arc was pretty good. Until Nozomi became Nozomi-sue. And Kageroza became Kageroza-sue.**

**Oh Rukia has gained a new appearance in Chapter 459. Her appearance is going to be pre-Chapter 423 for the duration of his story.**

**I own nothing.**

**Chapter 3- Ignited Emotions**

**The last Espada has fallen!**

Ichigo stood there, gazing at Ulquiorra's unmoving body. In a second, Ichigo turned on his heel facing his friends. He gave them a slight and wary smile. He took a step forward, and he began falling from exhaustion.

Before he fell to the ground, he felt several hands supporting him. He looked over and saw his friends supporting him, not allowing him to fall.

"Yo, Ichigo…" Renji said as they raised Ichigo back up. Ichigo lightly smiled.

"Yo."

Slowly and carefully they shifted Ichigo's position and let him sit on the ground.

"Soten Kisshun." The familiar orange light covered his body.

"Thanks, Inoue."

"Pretty roughed up there, aren't you Ichigo?" Rukia softly whispered.

Said person laughed lightly. "I could say the same about you, midget." Ichigo complimented himself in his head.

A vein could be seen on Rukia's cheek. "Don't expect me to help you then!"

And so began their bickering "Don't expect me to save you!" Their argument continued, fueling the group's amusement.

"I would kick you, if you weren't so injured." Rukia concluded the argument, as she looked away.

Ichigo sighed, "Rukia…" The petite shinigami looked over at Ichigo, "I'm glad you're alright…"

"…That's my line, idiot."

In a matter of minutes, Ichigo was healed, but his shihakusho was only half way repaired. The shihakusho still looked like it was torn apart in a fierce battle, and everything left of his right shoulder and left hip, was bare.

After sitting there in silence for sometime, Ichigo was about to spoke out to try and break the silence. "So…" The others turned to him, expecting him to continue. Ichigo opened his mouth but he stopped when he saw a large trail of sand shoot up.

Ishida being the first to catch up looked behind him, closely followed by Chad then Rukia and the rest. "Ah… Don't tell me…" Ishida whispered out.

"There's another arrancar?" Ichigo questioned out, Rukia and Ishida looked sternly at Ichigo.

"Seriously, Kurosaki. Learn how to sense reiatsu."

"Of course not, Ichigo. Do you think there is even any arrancar left?" Rukia told Ichigo. "In fact, that" She pointed at the huge sand trail that was getting closer. "Is Za-" She stopped when Zaraki Kenpachi landed in front of Ichigo.

"Yo, Ichigo!" Zaraki surprisingly wasn't even remotely injured. He noticed eyes checking him if he had any injuries. "Ah, that damn Espada knocked me out of this freaking place." Kenpachi pointed out in the direction where he came from.

If you can squint, you could make out a Zaraki Kenpachi hole in the middle of the dome. _Barely_.

"You know, Kenpachi…" Ichigo started before continuing once he got Kenpachi's attention. "Don't you think it is kind of…"

"What is it, Ichigo? Want a fight?"

"Erm, no. Isn't it a bit… pathetic to lose a fight like that?" Kenpachi's eyes darkened and you could see a vein on his forehead readying to burst. "How did you eve-" Ichigo continued on completely oblivious to Kenpachi's twitching and anger.

"O-oi I-ichi-" Rukia was stuttering to warn Ichigo, but Kenpachi now having veins protruding his skin in anger. He stomped on the healing barrier and broke it.

Ichigo was STILL going on about it, "-ow many people would lose a fight like that?" At the end of that, Kenpachi grabbed Ichigo's collar and raised him up to face Kenpachi.

"ARE YOU ASKING FOR A DEATH WISH ICHIGO?" The eleventh squad taichou raised his arm. "GET OFF ME DAMN IT!" At that movement, everybody jumped on Kenpachi trying to stop him; bar Mayuri, Nemu, Unohana, Byakuya, Yachiru and Hanataro who was beginning to tremble.

"Zaraki-taichou, please calm down!" Renji screamed from underneath as he tried to keep Kenpachi's legs from moving.

After a few minutes, Kenpachi had cooled off and was off sulking away separated from everyone. But not before Ichigo got a lump on his forehead.

"So how are we going to get back to Karakura?" Ichigo asked while rubbing the lump on his head.

Ichigo heard a scoff and turned in the direction of the twelfth squad taichou. Then his eyes traveled to the giant object, with an ash colored blanket draped over it.

"I have acquired a magnificent amount of researchable items from that Espada as spoils of war. And with that, I am capable of creating my own Garganta!" Mayuri grinned.

"You can create a garganta?" asked Ichigo.

"Indeed! Flawlessly I might add! I have achieved a semi-permanent form! Oh I can see the look on that man's face already! How can I not be gleeful in such a situation? Why, the imprudent blathering of a primate such as this are nothing before my delight!" Mayuri continued to shout out in satisfaction. "Nemu, begin the preparations!"

"Hai, Mayuri-sama."

"Behold my creation, you infidel." Mayuri yelled out proudly as he yanked off the covering. "Kurosaki Ichigo, you will be the first to use this contraption!"

"O-oi!"

"This is an experiment, you are subject #1. You have no right to refuse!"

"Ex-Experiment?"

While Ichigo was stuttering as to what to say, a Garganta opened from the device. Ichigo turned behind him and watched as the Garganta open up.

Ichigo felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to his right. "Do not worry kozo. You will not be alone." Byakuya calmly mentioned to him. "Kurotsuchi-taichou, if we do not return. Remember that the responsibilities of our safe return are yours, especially the lives of three Gotei Taichos."

The leader of the twelfth squad scoffed. "Do not fret; I am more then capable of sending a group of simpletons safely back." He noticed Ichigo's eyes watching him. "What?"

"Nothing, I was just remembering that Urahara-san looked down on us to give us orders when we came here."

"Where are you getting at?" Mayuri's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Ichigo continued, "If you're the second head of the institute, you must have studied under him or something, right? You two are a lot alike."

A vein popped. "You bastard!" Mayuri was enraged by the comparison of him and Urahara Kisuke.

Before Mayuri could _punish_ Ichigo, he had already jumped into the Garganta. "Let's go, everyone!" And so everyone followed.

* * *

><p>Byakuya, Unohana, and Isane led the group on three separate paths. Above them, Ishida was riding on his Hirenkyaku, along with Orihime. Orihime looked back at the opening, staring at Ulquiorra's corpse, as it began disintegrating. She remembered a moment with Ulquiorra during her capture.<p>

_His emerald eyes shot open. The first thing he saw was Orihime's own eyes staring back at him, before she jumped up in surprise._

"_Wah! I didn't know Ulquiorra-kun could sleep! I'm glad!" Orihime shouted. Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes in irritation._

_He took a moment before he responded. "Keep your voice down, woman. Do not say my name with that honorific humans use. It is Ulquiorra, and it will remain Ulquiorra. No other names will be used, do you understand woman?"_

_Orihime's eyes went downcast at the harsh response. "Okay."_

_He began walking out, only stopping at the doorway. Ulquiorra looked back at Orihime, before telling her, "You may call me Ulquiorra-kun if I was human."_

Noticing her expression, Ishida asked. "What's wrong, Inoue-san?"

The question snapped Orihime out of her stupor, "A-ah, nothing! Nothing is wrong at all! Thanks for asking though, Ishida-kun."

He knew it was a lie. He could see her emotions flickering wildly in her eyes. But he didn't press on the issue anymore.

In a few minutes, they all saw an opening and began speeding towards it. The first to step in the world was Ishida and Orihime. The moment the two stepped out, their jaws dropped slightly and their eyes went wide. Everyone else had arrived and held a similar expression.

"What the hell happened here?" Ichigo muttered to himself.

Aizen stood there gazing at the convergence of everyone. He only smirked before deciding his course of action. "Interesting."

They all turned their attention at Aizen. The only other person to be in fighting condition was Ichimaru Gin. Both equally unscratched or fatigued. "Was it you, Aizen, that cut them all down?" Ichigo stepped forward while gazing at the fallen fighters around the Fake city.

"Yes. I must say though, all of them charged at my recklessly just because one of them was killed. Who was that one again? Ah, it was the Vizard with the two pig tails." Ichigo's eyes narrowed at Aizen as he continued his speech. "Hiyori Sarugaki. All I did was mock her existence, and she fell for it. Gin ended up cutting her below the waist."

"No, I did not kill anyone, Kurosaki Ichigo. However the Sotaicho is dead." Everyone's eyes widened to their full extent as they took in the news that Yamamoto Genryusai Shingekuni, the most powerful shinigami someone even Ichigo could not dispute, had been killed by Aizen.

"Impossible." Byakuya spoke out. "You could not have possibly killed the Head-Captain. Even you would acknowledge the Head-Captain being stronger than you."

"Ah, you are quite right, Kuchiki Byakuya. Why do you think this area is not burnt and destroyed as it should be?" Aizen pointed out that the Fake Karakura Town had not been even remotely close to being completely destroyed. "I have created an arrancar named Wonderweiss for the sole purpose of sealing away Ryujin Jakka. Since the power was sealed, the moment that Wonderweiss was killed, the power was released and the sotaicho himself took the brunt of the explosion. I was just about to kill him myself, but I never thought he would sacrifice his body so freely on the spot. He should be dead right now."

Byakuya glared at Aizen. He pulled out Senbonzakura, and everyone else followed suit.

"You are wrong, Aizen. The trace of reiatsu is faint, but he is still very much alive. He should live as long as he is treated within this day." Unohana told everyone as she stepped out from behind the group. Soon she departed down to the wounded along with Isane and Hanataro. Aizen narrowed his gaze, and he smirked.

"That is not surprising. Do not worry; I will not kill any of you." Aizen drew his sword out "For I do not kill unless it is necessary."

"What do you mean by that?" This time it was Ishida that asked.

"Ah yes, do you remember Kurotsuchi Mayuri's explanation of how Ishida Souken died? Normally a shinigami do not accept bribes of that little significance."

"Where are you getting at?" Ishida glared as he formed his bow.

Aizen smirked "It was I, who allowed the shinigami to accept the bribe."

"_Aizen-taicho!" The mentioned captain turned around and saw two unranked shinigami running up towards him. "Kurotsuchi-taicho has given us a bribe to not assist the Quincy named Ishida Souken."_

_Aizen stood there for a few seconds before talking. "Here, accept this." Aizen pressed a bag full of coins onto one of the two's hands. "Accept the bribe. Just don't mention this to anyone." Aizen said as he smiled to them warmly._

Ishida scowled and gritted his teeth. Through his glasses his eyes reflected the anger built up in him. "I swear on the Quincy pride, I will kill you!"

"Go ahead and try." Aizen said before going onto his next subject, glancing at Rukia and Byakuya. "I suppose after telling him about the Quincy's demise, I should tell you how Kuchiki Hisana died."

Rukia's eyes widened considerably. "Wh-what?"

Byakuya glared coldly at Aizen, "Enough of your nonsense."

"This is not nonsense; do you know why Kuchiki Hisana was so ill?"

The Head of the Kuchiki glared at him before answering. "She suffered from a light illness and she quickly fatigued herself."

"No, that is wrong. That was Unohana's assumption, but I played a hand in it; " The corner of his lips twitched upwards into a grin. "Because I had continued to add a small dose of poison into her meals."

"That is impossible, you have never entered the Kuchiki manor." Byakuya retorted.

Aizen raised his sword in front of him. "Are you forgetting my Zanpakuto's abilities?"

The Head of the Kuchiki narrowed his eyes. "Normally she would have not died under such little doses. But, her constant exhaustion of looking for Kuchiki Rukia ruined her health."

"So that means… Hisana-san died… Because of me?" Rukia half-whispered to herself.

"It was a mercifu-"

"ENOUGH!" All eyes shifted over to the normally stoic captain's outburst. "If you are cause of my late wife's death, then I will slaughter you until not a particle of you remains!"

The traitor grinned.

This time it was Ichigo's questioning. "You still haven't answered the question! What the hell do you mean by you don't kill anyone unless you have to?"

"The purpose of everyone dying to me is for one sole goal. That is to…" Aizen paused as he smirked to Ichigo's dismay. "To further your evolution."

Ichigo scowled and narrowed his eyes. "What the hell do you mean by that?" He nearly shouted.

"I will tell you as soon as I can analyze your reiatsu." Aizen began walking calmly towards the group. "But first, I must get rid of some pests."

In an instant he disappeared from everyone's sight, even Ichigo's. The next thing they knew, Aizen was in front of Ichigo. Their eyes widened at the traitor's speed before they surrounded Aizen. "Come at me. All of you."

Ichigo attacked first. Aizen easily blocked the attack, before grabbing Ichigo's wrist and tossing him into Chad, which knocked the two away. The next came Byakuya and Zaraki from behind and in front. Aizen dashed to the side, before blocking several arrows. Renji charged in and slashed at Aizen head on with Zabimaru's tip. He scowled as Aizen caught it with his left hand.

With a slight glance to the right, Aizen swung out at a golden flash of light. Orihime's eyes widened, "Tsubaki-kun!" Said fairy, was cut in half from the slash.

"Hasn't time proven again and again, that your offensive capabilities are nothing against experienced fighters?"

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!" He felt ice on reaching up to his ankles, as he was surrounded by a ring of glowing ice. He quickly broke free and avoided the attack.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Aizen quickly blocked off a black lunar fang as it raced towards him. He repelled the attack by swinging off to the right.

"Fascinating. Your reiatsu is marvelous, very well matured." Aizen said as he collected Ichigo's reiatsu off his blade.

The owner of the reiatsu shouted, "Enough of that bullshit, Aizen!" He charged in and clashed swords with Aizen.

"But, is this your how far your skills have evolved?" Aizen said before muttering a chant. "Rikujokoro, Sajo Sabuku." Ichigo was immediately immobilized by the two kido spells.

"Shit!" He cursed. Ichigo began struggling to break it.

Aizen pointed his palm in front of Ichigo's face, "Sokatsui." The Hado spell struck Ichigo in the face point blank and sent him into the ruined city below. Aizen continued his assault by slamming his blade against Byakuya's. He dashed back when Byakuya released his shikai. "Raikoho." Byakuya's eyes widened before the lightning broke through his defense and slammed into his chest.

In an instant, Aizen turned around and blocked off Kenpachi's sword. "El Directo!" Aizen quickly jumped out of the way, and watched as Kenpachi cut Chad's attack in half. Then he turned around and knocked away an arrow from Ishida.

With the corner of his eyes, he noticed Rukia and Renji beginning to attack him from both of his sides. In quick succession, Aizen blocked Rukia's sword and fired a Byakurai at Renji. From above, Kenpachi swung down on Aizen. Briefly assessing his actions, Aizen threw Rukia aside with the blunt side of his blade before grabbing Kenpachi's wrist.

Before Kenpachi could react, Aizen stabbed him through the stomach and ripped out his sword through his side. Kenpachi coughed up blood before falling down to the ruins of the fake city. "Ken-chan!"

He paid no mind to the pink haired fukutaicho as he avoided a black blade going for his head. "I see, you have recovered." Aizen smirked at Ichigo.

"Did you think that would take me down?" Ichigo released a Getsuga and Aizen was driven backwards.

"Of course not. A thirties level Hado could never possibly take down a taicho-class fighter. Especially when I still need to explain your evolution to you. But…" Aizen smirked as he began preparing for another kido. "This will. Hado 63, Raikoho."

Ichigo's eyes widened as he attempted to dodge the massive attack. The Kido slammed into Ichigo's side, eliciting a groan before throwing him lodging him into the streets below. "…Shit!" He cursed out as he tried to stand up.

"Hado 32, Oukasen." The wide attack slammed into Ichigo, throwing up debris and concrete into the air. "Bakudo 30, Shitotsu Sansen."

Aizen turned around and faced his remaining opponents. "I will finish this, quickly." In just a few mere seconds, Rukia toppled over from a slash to her backside, Renji was ran through in the stomach, Chad's left wrist was sliced off and several deep lacerations along his right arm, and Ishida a slash wound from his left thigh to right shoulder.

From a distance away, Ichimaru Gin watched the fight without even opening his eyes. "Aizen-taicho sure is scaaarrry. Trying to defeat him with only three taicho-class and five fukutaicho-class fighters is impossible."

"RUKIA! RENJI! CHAD! ISHIDA!" Ichigo began crying out his friend's names as they were cut down by Aizen. "AIZEN! I will kill you!" He began struggling futilely against the restraints that was forced on him. He didn't even notice the black swirls beginning to overtake his eyes. His reiatsu began to pour out of him rapidly, weakening the Kido.

Feeling the increased pressure, Aizen turned around. "So it has begun."

**Heated emotions become overwhelming!**

**Rather short chapter.**


	5. Uncontrolled Rage

**Somewhat disappointed at chapter 460. But it was nice to see some Ichigo and Rukia interaction. The chapter felt more like fan-service anyway.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Uncontrolled Rage<strong>

**His friends fall... His comrades fall... His eyes watch on in anger…**

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><p>Ichigo watched as his friends fell to the ruined buildings. He repeatedly cried out Aizen's name in anger. He continued with even more ferocity when Aizen began walking towards him. He listened to his own voice, and to Aizen, completely blocking out everything but his enemy. He did not hear the sounds of his friends' bodies harshly meeting the cold cement, or the crumbling buildings, or the tufts of fire burning uncontrolled through some areas of the city.<p>

Stepping down on the ruined streets, Aizen slowly walked over to the frantic and struggling Ichigo. Casually, Aizen walked over to Ichigo; watching as Ichigo unknowingly hollowfy. "AIZEN!" The orange haired substitute shouted as the darkness enveloped his entire right eye. The traitor leaned down and grabbed Ichigo's chin before jerking his head to the side. **"AIZEN!" **Ichigo's voice beginning to distort, as white bone began to grow just above his temple.

"Amazing, you are still under complete control of your own body yet you are undergoing hollowfication." Aizen studied Ichigo's process before letting him go. His right iris now golden in color, no longer a soft amber, glistened from the anger and rage swelling up in his heart. "So you have stopped the process without even thinking about it. It appears that your emotions are not strong enough to light the ambers in you."

The vizard heard nothing from Aizen. He only continued to shout his name and struggle against the bindings.

"I will light the flame in you. A very flame that is pitch black in color… A flame home to darkness." Aizen said as he turned his back to him. Seizing this chance, Ichigo broke free of the kido and swung at the back of Aizen's head. The blade connected with a hexagonal shield, which stretched only the length of his neck. Irrationally, Ichigo's blade ignited with a black shroud of reiatsu as he struck at the back of the head again. At this gesture, Aizen flickered out of Ichigo's view.

His eyes widened before he cried out, "You bastard! Where are you?"

"Hado 63, Raikoho." The yellow lightning slammed into Ichigo's back, forcing him across the ruin city sliding on his chest.

"Shit!" Ichigo cried out as he got up to his feet, ignoring the stinging pain in his chest that came from the scrapes and burns.

"Stop." Aizen simply said as Ichigo broke out into a sprint at Aizen. "I said stop." Ichigo began speeding into a shunpo. "Did you not hear me?" Aizen asked as he blocked the black sword with ease. Ichigo released a Getsuga, clashing against Aizen's blade to no result. "You must have grown deaf." Aizen muttered darkly before with a flick of his wrist, he cut Ichigo from the left hip to his knee. With another, he impaled his blade in Ichigo's right shoulder and slashed his way through Ichigo's shoulder down to his elbow, eliciting a cry of pain and curses.

"You still have yet to hollowfy completely despite the fact I have utterly defeated you and your friends. It appears I will have to do more to your psyche." Aizen said as he grabbed Ichigo by the back of his neck and began dragging him, to which Ichigo began spouting profanities and vowing to kill Aizen. "Your vows mean nothing if you do not have the intent to kill me." Aizen said as he tightened his grip on the back of his neck. "I will give you reason to do so and I will ascend beyond the need of reason."

Aizen roughly threw Ichigo down to the floor and bound him with a low-level kido. After that, Aizen walked over and removed several chunks of debris.

Ichigo watched carefully, before realizing that Aizen had grabbed a white cloth. His eyes widened as he saw a raven-haired bespectacled man slowly lift his head and glare at the traitor.

Ishida narrowed his eyes and quickly struck out with his Seele Schneider. His blue eyes widened as he felt a sword impale through his abdomen. "…Shit!" Ishida cursed out as his blood began to seep through his white clothing.

"YOU BASTARD!" Aizen quickly withdrew his blade from Ishida as he smirked at Ichigo's reaction. His actions managed to speed up the hollowfication, as the mask had been fully developed across the right side of his face; but he was disappointed when the mask stopped growing beyond the bridge of his nose.

Turning away, Aizen walked over to another pile of debris and extracted Renji. The 6th division fukutaicho did not budge an inch as his red hair was strewn across his face, hiding his eyes. Aizen raised his hand and pointed his palm out at Renji. In an instant blue energy washed over his body and virtually wiped out any trace of him.

"RENJI!" Ichigo cried out as his mask began to reach across his lower jaw and forehead.

"I am not done, Kurosaki Ichigo." Aizen walked over and grabbed another person by their petite wrist. Ichigo's eyes widened as he recognized the trademark hairstyle.

"RUKIA!" He shouted out as he began to try breaking the kido. He watched as Rukia open her half-lidded eyes and attempt to break free of Aizen's hold by trying to pry Aizen's fingers off of her with her petite hands.

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><p>In an act that would complete Ichigo's process and be etched in his dreams, Aizen raised his sword above his head. And he brought down his sword on Rukia.<p>

To Ichigo, the world had been slowed down dramatically. What was a second of Aizen raised his sword felt like an hour to him. His throat felt dry as he watched the sword fall down, cutting though her clothing and into her body. Her violet eyes widened for a brief second as she gasped out at the feeling of a sword cutting through her.

* * *

><p>With a roar, Ichigo broke free of the kido and quickly snatched Rukia out of Aizen's grip. He held her tightly against his chest, her head resting against his shoulder. The cut from Aizen's sword was deep based on the blood pumping out of her wound. It stretched from her chest down to her waist. Her blood soaked out of the shihakusho and began staining Ichigo's.<p>

Rukia raised his head slowly and looked at Ichigo's half transformed face into his wide eyes. She raised her delicate hand up to him and slid it across his mask. "…Ichigo…" She called out his name softly. Her hand reached to the edge of his forming mask, and she gripped it with her fingers. Giving a light tug, Rukia's hand fell back down as she called out Ichigo's name again. "I…chi…go…"

"Rukia!" Ichigo shook her, trying to wake her up, careful to not excite her wound. "Rukia! RUKIA!"

With a diluted voice, Ichigo roared out, dark reiatsu flared out from Ichigo's body as his mask reached completion. The menacing aura soon quickly swooped over Aizen as he watched without even a flicker of emotion. He opened his mouth to mutter only one word, "Good."

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><p>From afar Gin watched the reiatsu flare not wearing his fox smile or his narrow eyes. He had opened his eyes slightly and frowned while feeling the terrible reiatsu. He watched as Ichigo held Rukia closely before his anger completely consumed him as he thought back to his days as a small child living with Rangiku. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.<p>

* * *

><p>The mist of reiatsu faded away in streaks of dark strings fluttering in the air. Aizen observed one of them before turning back to stare at Ichigo's new form.<p>

His orange hair was now stretched out, reaching down to his waist. His mask covered his head much like a skull, with two thick vertical stripes going downwards. His eyes could not be seen through the slits in the eyes as they were completely black. Tufts of orange hair sprouted along Ichigo's collar, wrists and ankles, his skin no longer retaining his somewhat tanned pigmentation. Now pale in color.

The transformed Ichigo cried out a hollow's shriek as the strings of black reiatsu stopped fluttering away from him. Aizen turned around as he watch the strings slowly turn into sharp needles as they began speeding back. Aizen quickly weaved his body around, careful to avoid the speeding reiatsu.

Looking towards the direction of the reiatsu Aizen' eyes widened as the needles stabbed themselves against Ichigo's body. "What is-" He was cut off as the hollowfied Ichigo roared out and the area around him exploded in a dome of fierce reiatsu.

Aizen shunpo'd away managing to avoid being swallowed up. He raised his sword and knocked aside a streak of reiatsu flaring around violently. Aizen narrowed his eyes as he raised his arm to shield himself against the massive winds whipping debris around. Raw reiatsu flared into the skies, piercing through the clouds. Some of that raw reiatsu lashed out at anything that was near, breaking up streets and any remains of buildings into a fine dust.

As the dome of raw power began to dissipate, Aizen could make out Ichigo's form. Ichigo's form had hardly changed from the form he had taken earlier. There was only two things that caught Aizen's eyes; the horns that reached at least a meter in length, and the hollow hole in his chest.

"So you have become a hollow… Kurosaki Ichigo." Aizen watched as the completely hollowfied Ichigo walk towards Aizen. In a split second, Ichigo disappeared and clashed blades with Aizen. "Have you lost your mind to do a frontal attack on m-"

Not finishing, Aizen leapt backwards to avoid a pale hand that struck out at him.

"You have truly lost yo-" Once again Aizen was interrupted as he felt a sharp pain erupt from his back. He tilted his head and winced as he pulled out a fragment of black reiatsu. Just as he did, the hollowfied Ichigo charged up and slashed down on Aizen, carving a wound from his right shoulder to his right hip.

With a hollow shriek, Ichigo impaled Aizen through his stomach and quickly pulled out the blade. Aizen scowled and narrowed his eyes in pain as Ichigo grabbed his left forearm. The hollow dropped Tensa Zangetsu, leaving it embedded into the ground. With his now free arm, he grabbed Aizen's left shoulder and tugged with his left arm, ripping Aizen's left arm off by the shoulder.

"Shit!" Aizen cursed out as he was thrown aside. He sat up and belched a goblet of blood. The traitor looked up and his eyes widened as red reiatsu gathered up at the tips of the hollow's horns.

'_Cero?'_

The red beam flashed out and struck Aizen head on. Aizen shouted out in pain, before the Cero completely engulfing Aizen's screams and shot off into the horizon.

Ichigo stood straight, looking at the direction he had blown Aizen away. From afar, Byakuya slowly raised himself onto his arms gazing warily at Ichigo. Knowing firsthand as to how vicious Ichigo can become as a hollow.

The Head of the Kuchiki mustered up his voice to speak, "Kurosaki Ichigo, is that you or your hollow?" The hollowfied Ichigo turned around and faced Byakuya. His pale left hand raised up to his chin and cupped his mask with his fingers.

Slowly, he raised his mask up while speaking, "I am…" he said in Ichigo's normal voice, much to Byakuya's relief.

"**NO ONE!"**

Byakuya's eyes widened before he regained his composure. "So you have truly transformed into a hollow, haven't you?" He raised himself onto his feet and gripped Senbonzakura tightly.

"**Feh… I told you, Ichigo… That if you ever wanted to use my powers, don't freaking die!" **Hollow Ichigo shouted out the last line, as he began laughing. **"I told you I would throw you down and crush your skull whenever you give me a chance!" **Then he looked over to Byakuya. **"I'll start by killing his friends!"**

He flashed out of Byakuya's sight before reappearing and smashing his palm against Byakuya's nose. "You lowl-"

Hollow Ichigo did not allow him to finish as he caught Byakuya's scarf, giving a rough tug, he lifted Byakuya a foot in the air. Quickly reacting, Byakuya tried to free himself by slashing at Hollow Ichigo's arm. Just before the sharp edge could meet the pale flesh, Hollow Ichigo grabbed Byakuya's wrist. **"Oh no you don't!" **Hollow Ichigo moved in, with his mask in place, about to skewer Byakuya with his horns.

"Sokatsui!" Byakuya quickly fired off the kido and quickly shunpo'd away.

"**Bastard!**" Hollow Ichigo pointed his horns at Byakuya again, this time about to fire a Cero. Just as he was about to fire, he was knocked aside by a white left fist slamming into his cheek.

"Get control of yourself, Ichigo!" Chad shouted his arms regenerated thanks to Orihime.

"Kurosaki!" Hollow Ichigo looked up, only to meet a blue arrow smashing against his mask.

Hollow Ichigo felt his mask, his fingers brushing against a crack at the cheek bone. Immediately his eyes dilated and he gritted his teeth. **"HOW DARE YOU HARM ME!" **A wave of reiatsu poured over their heads, bringing everyone but Byakuya to the ground.

"Damn it!" Ishida cursed as he was forced on a knee.

Byakuya took a step forward about to charge and fight Hollow Ichigo until he saw someone run to him. He instantly recognized the figure, "Rukia! You fool!" He immediately began running.

"**You've come to die huh?" **Hollow Ichigo said as he watched Rukia, wounds healed, run towards him, half her shihakusho starting to fall off, but not enough to reveal her chest. Hollow Ichigo pounced, and raised his sword against Rukia.

Byakuya was only a few meters away as Hollow Ichigo began to bring his sword down.

The black blade was swung down.

Sweat poured from Byakuya's head.

Rukia closed her eyes, expecting a sword to go through her.

Byakuya cried out, "RUN! RUKIA!"

The cold blade met her pale shoulder, and she gasped at the contact.

And it stopped.

"Don't hurt my third daughter, you moron."

Rukia snapped her eyes wide open as she realized Kurosaki Isshin had arrived and stopped the blade. Her brother's eyes went wide at the newcomer.

"Isshin-san!"

"**You…"** Hollow Ichigo said slowly before he slashed at.

Isshin stood there with his sword in his hand pointing at Hollow Ichigo. "My, my… Looks like I have to beat some sense into you.

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><p><strong>Father vs Son!<strong>

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><p><strong>Alright, late and short chapter. The next two chapters will arrive in 3 days from each other.<strong>


	6. Turmoils of the Heart

**I watched Bleach Hell Verse. I was sorely disappointed. Everyone but Ichigo got shoved aside near the middle, even then the movie wasn't very great. The only things I found good about it were the opening, animation, soundtrack and the end credits. I wasn't surprised when I found out that Kubo had a lot of flak over the movie.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Turmoil of the Heart<strong>

**The Horse should not have a crown**

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><p>"You!"<p>

Isshin turned his head over to the right to face the speaker, Byakuya. Immediately, the Kurosaki Patriarch gave him a toothy smile, "Long time no see, Byakuya-bo!"

Byakuya uncharacteristically scowled, "Do not call me on a first name basis." replied Byakuya as coldly as he could.

The offender frowned, "Oh come on; we're probably going to be in-laws someday anyway!"

"… What?"

The reaction stunned Isshin, "WHAT? How do you not notice?"

"I fail to notice and understand what you are trying to say."

Having a feeling something would involve herself, Rukia gulped.

"Ichigo and Rukia-chan!"

Byakuya's facial muscles twitched. "… I do not approve of those two interloping."

"To hell with you approving!" Isshin brushed Byakuya aside with that comment, "Watch, in less then 10 years they'll be married!"

Byakuya was having trouble keeping his composure based on how his eye began twitching and he was shifting his body uncomfortably.

Isshin continued rattling off his thoughts, ignoring the look Byakuya was giving him, "In fact, I won't be surprised I get fou- no, five grandkids!"

Rukia took a while to process that thought into her head before she began blushing. "Isshin-san! Please!"

"Ah ah, don't worry about that Rukia-chan! Make sure to invite me for the wedding!" Isshin waved at her with a smile.

"You are the same fool as you were before…" Byakuya spoke out as he began to back away, slowly.

Frowning, Isshin said, "Well I can't say the same about you." In a split second, Byakuya found himself in a headlock.

"Wh-what are you doing? Get your ha… !" Isshin began rubbing his knuckles across Byakuya's head and messing with his hair. To that, Byakuya began to thrash violently attempting to dislodge him.

"Oh come on! When I knew you, you were so full of emotions!"

Unable to react, Rukia stiffened at the sight _and _mental image. Even thinking of Byakuya having any sort of emotions etched on his face was overworking her brain and she didn't know if she should laugh or protest at Byakuya's situation. The former would get her a look from her precious brother, while the latter would get a look from her host and self-proclaimed father.

Ishida animatedly sweat-dropped as did Chad.

Several veins had marked themselves on Byakuya's forehead as he continued going through the ordeal. "Chire, Senbonzakura!"

Isshin finally backed off to avoid the pink petals of doom, "I take it back, you are the same old person!" said Isshin as he gave him another toothy smile.

Byakuya responded with a very cold piercing glare to which Isshin began animatedly cry and shout out, "My future in-law hates me!"

Before Isshin could continue his rant on how Byakuya hates him, Hollow Ichigo dashed forward and swung the black sword on Isshin. Dodging to the left, Isshin easily avoided the attack.

"Don't tell me that was your best try." Said Isshin, smirking.

"**Tch, it was so that you would pay some attention. Time to die!"**

The Hollow dashed forward and swung at his neck. Isshin back pedaled; retaliating by swinging around and using the momentum to put more force in his blow as he slashed at his son's side. Blocking the hit, Isshin ducked and jumped back to avoid two consecutive strikes.

Dashing back in, Isshin clashed his Zanpakuto across Hollow Ichigo's Zanpakuto creating the sound of metal scrapping on metal. Pushing on, Hollow Ichigo slammed his shoulder against Isshin sending him skidding backwards.

"**Is that all you got, old man?" **Hollow Ichigo pointed a finger at Isshin as he got up.

The senior Kurosaki stayed quiet as he charged forward and struck at the Hollow. Parrying the strike, the Hollow reached out at Isshin with his left hand, only to be stopped by the back of Isshin's own hand.

"Bakudo 8, Seki." A blue orb formed at the tips of Isshin's knuckles and immediately sent a gush of air at the Hollow when his hand contacted the kido.

Flying backwards from the air pressure, the Hollow scowled and refitted it's mask before blocking an overhead strike.

* * *

><p>"<em>Ichigo…"<em>

"What is it, Zangetsu?" Ichigo floated in a sea, his eyes open staring at nothing but the sky above him. His dull amber eyes, no longer radiating with the determination he held before, looked over to his right.

"_What do you think you are doing?"_

"What does it look like I am doing?"

With a growl, Tensa Zangetsu grabbed a handful of his collar. _"Why are you wallowing in self-pity? Look around you, you have despaired to the point that in a matter of a few hours you have flooded your inner world! The tall buildings that once pierced into the heavens are no longer here, replaced by a replica of your town!"_

Tilting his head, Ichigo gazed down at the submerged town that was in his inner world. He stared in silence, not bothering to move.

"_Explain to me, Ichigo!" _Tensa Zangetsu shouted in Ichigo's face, _"Why have you given up and lost your determination?" _The orange haired man didn't reply. _"Is it because you lost? Or is it because of Kuchiki Rukia?"_

"…" Ichigo looked away from him.

"_You are a fool, Ichigo. Do not give up hope, do you think Kuchiki Rukia would want you to lose control?" _Tensa Zangetsu gritted his teeth and tossed Ichigo to the side. _"Think about everyone else in your world! Do you think she would want you to kill them?"_

"Why the hell would I kill my friends?" shouted Ichigo,

"_You would have killed your friends had your father not stepped in!"_

The mention of Isshin made Ichigo give Zangetsu confused expression.

"My old man? Quit joking around!"

"_I do not know how your father is a shinigami, but, you are not in control of your body. _

"What do you mean I am not in control?"

_Look below you."_ Tensa Zangetsu pointed downwards, as Ichigo followed the direction he pointed. _"You are currently possessed by your hollow."_

Ichigo's eyes widened.

In the center of the town, in the center of a park, a large light shown through. The light was oval in shape, and there appeared to be a yellowish foam around the edges. In the middle of the light, Ichigo could see his father fighting him.

Clashing swords, Isshin blew the possessed Ichigo to the side with pure force. Pouncing on top of his body, Isshin pointed his palm directly at the mask. "Hado 33-"

His eyes widened as red reiatsu began gathering at the same time. "SOKATSUI!" Firing the kido, the Hollow fired his cero at the same time. The two attacks exploded and threw up a massive plume of debris and smoke.

"What is that?" asked Ichigo.

"_That is your bodies' vision. Through there, you can see what your body is currently doing." _explained Tensa Zangetsu, _"You are currently being possessed by your hollow."_

Ichigo's eyes widened, "H-he is in control? Zangetsu, get me out of here!"

To his shock, the Zanpakuto spirit shook his head, _"I cannot do that. But there is a way for you to wrest control from him."_

"Then do it!" Ichigo shouted impatiently, not wanting to risk the chance of his Hollow to kill his friends.

"_It has a consequence. When I do it, your body will not be possessed by either you or your hollow. It will be a being of pure instinct, attacking anything in sight. Your body will become a hollow, a hollow without any conscience, a hollow that hunger of souls. So you must, Ichigo! You must defeat your hollow!" _ Tensa Zangetsu told him, _"If you fail… Then all of your friends, all of your enemies, and everything you know will be destroyed utterly by you. Are you ready, Ichigo?"_

Ichigo straightened up as he began processing images of himself destroying his friends. "No…" Tensa Zangetsu's eyes widened in shock and was about to yell at him until, "I won't let it happen. I'm ready, Zangetsu. Do it." Ichigo ordered as his eyes began filling with resolve.

Tensa Zangetsu smiled as he walked up to Ichigo and plunged his left hand into his chest. Amber eyes widened as he spat out a glob of blood.

* * *

><p>At the same time, Isshin slid backwards and fell onto a knee. A long stream of blood went down his forehead and split across the bridge of his nose. He panted heavily in exhaustion as his foe slowly walked up to him and pointed his horns at him, gathering red reiatsu.<p>

"Die!"

'Shit!'

"Bakudo 81, Danku!" A transparent wall shot up in front of Isshin, sending the Cero splitting uncontrollably and sprinkling reiatsu across the area. The reiatsu stopped themselves from falling as they formed into sharp projectiles. Quickly they sped forth at Isshin but were stopped by a wall of cherry petals and a hail of arrows.

Taking this chance, Isshin slashed at Hollow Ichigo forcing him to scurry backwards.

"Enough of this. We will aid you." said Byakuya as he calmly walked forward.

"He's right, we can't just let you fight alone while we watch on doing nothing." Ishida said as he fixed his glasses with one hand.

"We need to stop Ichigo." Chad said as he morphed his arms.

Rukia said nothing as she got into a fighting stance.

"**You fools…" **Hollow Ichigo said as he raised his Tensa Zangetsu and pointed directly at them. A black reiatsu began swirling around his arm and concentrated at the tip.

"Getsuga! Get away NOW!" Isshin barked out at everyone.

As sudden as he charged up the attack, a pain shot through his chest** "What the hell?" **

Everyone's eyes widened as they watched the hole in his chest slowly bleed and close. Then a hand shot out, sending drops of blood everywhere.

* * *

><p>"What are you doing?" Ichigo slowly breathed out, as another wave of pain shot through his body when his Zanpakuto began pulling back his hand. As he cried out in pain, Tensa Zangetsu forcefully pulled out a white figure.<p>

"_Bear the pain, Ichigo!_

* * *

><p>"<p>

"**What the hell!" **Hollow Ichigo cried out, as it appeared to be his body beginning to peel and fold into the hollow hole; as if his skin had been a blanket. **"NO!"**

A pillar of black reiatsu shot up from the ground and completely engulfed Ichigo's body.

* * *

><p>Slowly rising up on one knee, Hollow Ichigo looked around before setting his eyes on Ichigo.<p>

"**You bastard! How dare you! I will take control of your body!" **Hollow Ichigo shouted at the top of his lungs.

"No, you won't take control of my body. It is time for me to take back my crown, Hollow." Ichigo said confidently, as he raised his sword in preparation.

* * *

><p>On the outside, Ichigo's body shrieked out at everyone before sending a shockwave of reiatsu at them.<p>

"Get ready!" Isshin shouted to everyone.

**The King should not be ridden on**

**Couldn't resist ending it here. Next chapter is pushed back to a week from now. In the meantime, I'm getting prologues up for the other ideas.**

**Now that I think about it… I really shouldn't have started this on top of the dome :**

**Not very many options to make the plot more diverse, oh well. Too late in now**

**That and I really want to get my other story ideas going.**


	7. Bitter Respite

**Bitter Respite**

**What a feeble feeling…**

"**I will take over your body, Ichigo!" **

Hollow Ichigo dashed forth and his white blade collided against Ichigo's sword.

"Sorry, I won't let you." With a swing, Ichigo knocked back his opponent and followed up with a flurry of swings and jabs.

"**What makes you…" **Hollow Ichigo dodged the attacks and guarded himself from an overhead swing. **"You can stop me?" **

Pushing back, Ichigo flipped over before regaining his posture.

"What makes you think, you can take over my body!" Ichigo retorted before firing a quick Getsuga.

Slicing through the lunar fang, Hollow Ichigo charged straight at Ichigo. Seeing this movement, Ichigo jumped and dodged the attack before blocking a strike to his torso.

"I defeated you once, so I can defeat you…" Ichigo gritted through his teeth as his opponent put more force in the attacks. "Again!" Ichigo fired off a quick Getsuga before reappearing away from his opponent.

Stopping the Getsuga with his left hand, Hollow Ichigo flung it above him, allowing it to break through the surface of the water. **"Do you know why I reappeared Ichigo?"**

Ichigo didn't respond as he charged in and forced himself into a blade lock.

* * *

><p>"Sokatsui." Byakuya said as he fired off a blue wave at his opponent. The Hollow blitzed to the side, completely avoiding the attack and shoulder tackled Byakuya. Wincing, Byakuya slid across the harsh pavement before stopping himself.<p>

"El Directo!" Chad fired off a massive ball of reiatsu that slammed against Ichigo's side and sent him skidding on his face.

"Howl, Zabimaru!" from above Renji's shikai crashed against Ichigo's back, forcing it deeper into the ground.

"Bakudo 30, Sanren Shitotsu!" Rukia cried out as she sent three rods of energy to trap Ichigo.

"Did we get him?" Renji asked as he landed behind Chad.

"I do-" A hollow's shriek interrupted Chad, and a huge wave of reiatsu washed over them.

* * *

><p>"<strong>What did I tell you before?" <strong>Pressing himself against his blade he pushed Ichigo's blade back to the point where the blunt side touched Ichigo's shoulder.

"Enough talk!" Ichigo forced Hollow Ichigo back. "Getsuga Tensho!" Unleashing the Getsuga, Ichigo dashed away from the attack.

"**I told you Getsuga is my move!" **Hollow Ichigo swung out a white Getsuga out at Ichigo. Moving to the right, Ichigo avoided the attack and charged in. Hollow Ichigo slashed at Ichigo above his eye and leaned back to avoid the point of Ichigo's Tensa Zangetsu from hitting his chin.

The attack managed to knick Ichigo above the left eyebrow and sent blood streaming over his eye. Ichigo winced when blood came in contact with his eye. Taking this chance, Hollow Ichigo grabbed Ichigo's sword by the hilt and yanked it out of his grasp. Bringing down his own blade, he slashed at Ichigo. Moving to the right, Ichigo cursed as he fell onto a roof. While he managed to avoid getting struck in the head, his left arm was cut across the biceps.

Jumping down, Hollow Ichigo stomped on Ichigo's chest, causing Ichigo to cry out in pain. Then he raised his blade and ran Ichigo through the shoulder and embedded it into the pavement.

"Damn…!" Ichigo rasped out in pain. The Hollow smirked as he pressed more weight on Ichigo's abdomen.

"**I told you…" **Hollow Ichigo said out slowly as he listened to Ichigo's heavy breathing. **"That if you gave me a chance, I'll buck you over and crush your head beneath my feet!"**

"I'd never give you a chance…!" Ichigo gritted through his clenched jaws.

"**Oh? No chance?" **Hollow Ichigo questioned as he bent down and yanked out Tensa Zangetsu. **"Really now? Are you saying that I had absolutely no chance to take over your soul when I just did it a few moments ago? How naïve of you!" **

The orange haired man said nothing as he briefly struggled to dislodge himself.

"**I took over your soul in a matter of seconds when you held that little bitch in your arms!" **shouted the pale doppelganger. **"I crushed that maniacal jackass and stomped on your friends! I held sway over your actions! Not you, not Zangetsu, not ANYONE but ME!"**

"**I will devour you, and by devouring you I will retain complete control over you!" **Taking his foot off of Ichigo's chest, Hollow Ichigo dug his hand into Ichigo's wounded shoulder.

"**I will make you grovel! I will make you beg! I will make you want to be devoured! I will make you LIKE IT!" **Hollow Ichigo quickly slashed at Ichigo's right thigh down to the bone. **"Have fun!" **

Tossing Ichigo into the air, Hollow Ichigo pursued and pierced through Ichigo's back and the tip of the blade went through Ichigo's stomach.

* * *

><p>"Out of the way!" Isshin quickly rammed against Ishida, throwing him aside. "Getsuga Tensho!" yelled Isshin as he fired a massive blue Getsuga. The Getsuga slammed against Ichigo as gale winds blew in opposite directions.<p>

Black reiatsu fed itself into Ichigo's arm. "**Ge…Getsu…Getsuga Sh…Shuge…Shugeki." **The Hollow rasped out as a piercing dark beam broke through Isshin's Getsuga and exploded against the ground near Isshin.

* * *

><p>"Hollow…" Ichigo rasped out as he gripped the blood covered tip. "I will never beg to you!" He painfully said as the white Tensa Zangetsu slowly turned black.<p>

Seeing this, Hollow Ichigo quickly let go of the hilt and flashed away in caution. With a spurt of blood, Ichigo pulled Tensa Zangetsu out of his body. Panting heavily as blood dribbled down his chin and under his collar.

"It's over… Hollow!" Ichigo charged at Hollow Ichigo and moved to impale him. Unlike before where Hollow Ichigo was run through the abdomen, he side stepped the around, Ichigo swiped at Hollow Ichigo's waist, only to be jumped over. Quickly raising the blade, Ichigo fired a wordless Getsuga at Hollow Ichigo. The attack dissipated and left Hollow Ichigo snarling as he felt the large gash across his chest.

"**You bastard!" **Hollow Ichigo roared as he charged in with his fists. Avoiding a punch to his cheek by stepping over to the right, Ichigo raised Tensa Zangetsu above him with both arms outstretched.

"This is the end!" Ichigo swung down. Hollow Ichigo's eyes widened as he was about to feel the cold blade lacerate through his flesh. Quickly pointing his left hand at Ichigo, a ring of red static energy appeared and blew Ichigo backwards. The ring of energy spiked outwards and pressed against Ichigo's chest, blowing him aside. Ichigo coughed out blood as he felt warm blood trail down his chest. "W-what the hell was that?"

* * *

><p>The Hollow fell onto the ground on its feet, crouching over. Leaping to the side, he avoided a wave of ice followed by several arrows. In retaliation, he fired a pitch black Getsuga, covering the entire landscape; leveling any buildings left unhindered.<p>

"What power!" Ishida shouted as he watched the replica city getting sliced cleanly by the unadulterated power.

Byakuya said nothing as he swarmed his cherry blossoms and covered Ichigo.

"Sokatsui." Byakuya said he forced out a blue wave. Then in a second, a light red ball broke through the petals. "Wha-" The ball sped out at a rapid pace and crashed against Byakuya's side.

* * *

><p>"<strong>That was a bala." <strong>Hollow Ichigo muttered out.

"Bala?" Ichigo whispered out slowly as he raised Tensa Zangetsu again; but the sword was blown out of his hand quickly. "Shit!" Ichigo cried out as he retracted his hand.

Off in the distance, Hollow Ichigo was pointing his hand at Ichigo. **"Cero."** The cero that was fired was white with a red outline, and almost instantaneously smashed against Ichigo. Falling to the ground, Ichigo spat out blood, he had barely managed to survive the attack. His entire right side had been burnt considerably, especially his right forearm. While his left side avoided most the damage, his shihakusho was essentially reduced to ribbons.

With his clothing torn apart, the full extent of Ichigo's wounds were revealed; at his chest, a huge indention with blood flowing freely out of the wound. His stomach was caked by blood that had been dried by Hollow Ichigo's cero. At his stomach, a puncture wound that pierced through Ichigo completely occasionally spurted a glob of blood outwards. His left arm hand limply as crimson blood seeped through the torn biceps. The hole in Ichigo's shoulder had already stopped bleeding but the area behind him could be visible due to the width of the wound. Ichigo swore as he tried to get on his feet, but immediately fell over and grabbed his right leg. A long cut was horizontally planted across the thigh, deep down to the bone.

"**You are pathetic Ichigo. You can't even move!" **Hollow Ichigo said as he picked up Ichigo by the neck. Ichigo's right hand reached up to his wrist and tried to weakly pry the arm off. **"Don't touch me." **Growled out Hollow Ichigo, as he tightened his grip on Ichigo's neck, in response Ichigo tugged at him with a little more force. **"I said don't touch me!" **Hollow Ichigo raised his left hand and dug itself in Ichigo's chest. Ichigo's amber eyes widened as he watched his lifeblood pump out of his chest and onto Hollow Ichigo's pale sleeve. Hollow Ichigo could feel the pumping of Ichigo's heart grow more feeble at every second.

* * *

><p>"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted out as she fired off kido in quick succession. Ducking downwards, she avoided a black blade from slicing her neck.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Ichigo!"<em>

He heard a voice as his feet began to dissolve.

"_Ichigo you fool!"_

The voice came again; Ichigo slowly raised his head as his shins begin to dissolve.

"_How dare you let yourself lose control to your hollow?"_

Ichigo raised his dull amber eyes to the sky above, where the voice was coming from.

"_You are not the man in my heart, Ichigo! Bring yourself back out of that pit!"_

He raised his hand reaching upwards as his knees disappeared.

* * *

><p>Crashing against a mound of destroyed material, Rukia raised herself onto her elbow. Using the remains of her sleeve, Rukia wiped the blood off her head. "Don't give into despair! You are stronger then that; conquer the despair and come back, Ichigo!<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Don't give into despair! You are stronger then that; conquer the despair and come back, Ichigo!"<em>

He lifted his left arm and stretched out both arms out towards the sky.

"**Oi, oi. What are you doing?" **Hollow Ichigo watched as Ichigo reached out into sky and his waist began dissolving.

"…Rukia…" Then Ichigo's eyes widened and a blue gleam shined through his eyes again. The process of dissolving stopped as he set his arms back down and looked at his hollow in the eye.

He could hear his name being called out by everyone; his name rang across his head as he stared at his hollow. He pointed his hand at his Hollow and flexed it. In an instant, Hollow Ichigo felt a black blade pierce through his chest and looked down. Tensa Zangetsu had been impaled through his heart, and following the length of the blade, his dark eyes widened in shock. The tip of the sword had lodged itself within Ichigo's own heart.

"Hollow… I won't let you take over my body… If you do, I'll kill the two of us, myself!" Ichigo shouted as the water around him flushed away.

"**Im… Impossible! You shouldn't even be able to move!" **Hollow Ichigo roared out as he, vainly, tried to dislodge the blade.

"_It is time you return to me." _Tensa Zangetsu said as he walked down to the pair. Ichigo said nothing as a droplet of blood fell from his chin.

"**Bastard… Just you wait, when you give me another chance, I will for sure this time kill you and that bitch!" **Hollow Ichigo spat out the last word vehemently. Soon he completely faded out and was absorbed by Tensa Zangetsu.

"_Ichigo, it is not time for you to die. Wake up." _Tensa Zangetsu said as he pulled himself out of Ichigo.

* * *

><p>Isshin grunted as he bounced across a street and into a broken sign. Ishida fired a round of arrows on Ichigo before he, too, was knocked into a charred piece of land.<p>

"S-shit!" Renji swore out as he tried to raise himself with Zabimaru's support. Near him, Rukia was trying to raise herself on shaking and trembling arms; exhausted from overuse.

Red reiryoku began spiraling around Ichigo's body, gathering at the tip of his horns. Renji shut his eyes as he forced himself to look down; despair and hopelessness etched across his face.

_It's all over for us!_ Thought Renji.

Then as the Cero was beginning to reach its apex, it shrank down and evaporated. Isshin's orbs widened at the sight and he soon realized what was happening. "Get down now!" Isshin shouted out to everyone just as a sound of bone cracking rippled through the sky.

A crack opened up on Ichigo's forehead, and the crack extended down to his torso, creating sounds of cracking bone constantly. Pale skin began peeling itself, pieces of bone splintered off and fragmented into tiny pieces, and tufts of hair vanished from sight. Soon Tensa Zangetsu reverted from the slim daito back to the massive cleaver, Zangetsu. Amber began replacing golden iris, and the darkness receded. As that finished, Ichigo fell downwards, losing his grip on Zangetsu in the progress.

Kurosaki Ichigo's name was called out by everyone, minus Byakuya, as they slid under where Ichigo was falling; to cushion his fall. Amber eyes slowly opened and gazed into his friend's relieved eyes. They were relieved until they saw the full extent of his wounds.

"Inoue! Heal Ichigo!" Rukia shouted immediately.

"Soten Kisshun! I reject!" A golden oval began healing everyone within the vicinity. Resting Ichigo's head on her lap, Rukia watched his wounds heal over slowly.

"O-oyaji…" Ichigo muttered out as he looked over at Isshin.

"I know, I know. I guess I'll tell –" Isshin said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Don't." He said, widening Isshin's eyes in surprise. "If you haven't told me, that's your problem. You must have had a reason to not tell me about you. I don't know how to ask, I don't know how to ask without trampling on your feelings. So I'll wait until you come to me and tell me. Until then, I'll wait, and you don't have to tell me anything."

Isshin looked at him with wide eyes before smiling, "You really have learned to talk like a man."

"I'm just repeating what someone said to me once; it really put me at ease."

Isshin smiled at Rukia, who was smiling lightly to herself, knowing full well on who told Ichigo that.

"Rukia… Renji… Ishida… Chad… Inoue…" Ichigo softly muttered out their names, before realizing he forgot a few people. "Kenpachi? Byakuya? Where are they?"

"Nii-sama is over here." Rukia pointed over to her right where Byakuya was standing rigidly straight. "Zaraki-taicho is nowhere to be seen though… Along with Kusajishi-fukutaicho."

Ichigo took a close look at his friends and when his eyes reached Rukia, he blushed. "Ru-rukia..."

"What is it?"

"Yo-your cloths..."

Looking down, Rukia looked down and she realized her tattered shihakusho was on the verge of revealing her chest to Ichigo. With a shriek, she immediately covered herself with a stripe of her shihakusho. "D-did you see anything..." Rukia asked after she had fumbled enough with her clothing.

"If I told you would you hit me?"

Their light moment was interrupted when Kenpachi landed right next to them sliding on his back, his torso stained in blood.

"What the –"

"I thank you for allowing me to see the perfect Hollowfication, Kurosaki Ichigo." A distorted deep voice rang into their ears.

**Despair is…**

**I am really surprised that this story took 6 chapters before it could overtop one of my one shots in the amount of hits. But I'm more surprised that my story that I started with a prologue has more favorites and alerts than this one. So all in all, this story MIGHT get put on hiatus and may be touched on to improve later.**


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